Dangerous Mergers
by Rangerhunters
Summary: Stephanie agreed to marry Ranger if he helped her rescue Joe. Now, after one day of wedded bliss, he's forced to rescue her to save their marriage and her life!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: It is very complimentary to Pat and I to know that readers are enjoying a story we wrote almost seven years ago! Please remember that when this story was first written, JE fans didn't have the character background they do have now. We have revised the story, but decided not to change the story content to agree with the additional bits and pieces of information JE has since revealed about the characters we love... we hope you don't mind. We also hope that you enjoy the story!_

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Prologue**

_Tank rolled over and reached for his cell phone. Whoever was calling him tonight must be planning on dying. He, Lester, Bobby and some of the cops had celebrated the marriage of Ranger and Stephanie. _

_"Talk!" he barked into the phone._

_"Uh, I'm trying to reach a company called RangeMan. Have I got the right number?" A tired male voice came from the other end._

_Tank hauled his full size straight up. The woman next to him turned on her side and buried her head under her pillow, trying to avoid the tone of her partner's conversation. "Yes, now talk." _

_"This is Detective Miller of the Las Vegas Homicide Department," the man said._

_Tank was already out of the bed and pulling on his pants while he listened to the detective and then he froze for a second before he shouted into the phone, "What the fuck do you mean he's dead?"_

Tank started searching for his shirt in the mangled heap of clothing at the foot of the bed, growling when he finally located the twisted and knotted wad of black cotton. Flinging it back into the heap, he headed for the closet. "Talk, damn it!" Tank barked into the phone. He reappeared and separated the phone from his ear just long enough to pull his shirt over his head. "I said talk, damn it!!" Tank roared at the caller.

"Sir, if you'll just calm down," Detective Miller raised his voice, hoping to be heard.

"How was he killed? Where's Stephanie? Where in the fuck is the plane?" Tank quit struggling in his attempt to pull his socks one handed and put the phone on speaker. "Answer me, damn it!!"

Detective Miller pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and counted to ten. "Sir, if you'll just give me a chance to answer…"

"Talk," Tank willed his voice under control and pulled his boots on. Detective Miller wasted no time in relaying the meager amount of information they had been able to compile since finding the body. Tank glanced at the readout on his phone. "I'll call you back on this number. We're on our way. I'll call with our ETA." Tank disconnected the call and reached for the house phone next to his bed. "Bobby, get your ass out of bed, we've have a situation. Downstairs in five." Tank didn't give Bobby a chance to say anything more than "fuck" before he disconnected and called Lester with the same instructions. He had one more call to make. "Marcus, we have a situation. Meet you at the airport in thirty. File a flight plan for Vegas!"

He turned his attention to the woman sitting up in bed with her hair tousled from sleep and sex; he paused just long enough to give her a quick kiss. "Sorry, Donna, I have to go. I'll have someone drive you home when you're ready. Just pick up the phone and dial '0'. Call you when I get back."

Five minutes later, all three men were running to climb into the closest SUV. As soon as they had cleared the exit of the garage Lester turned to Tank. "Spill it." Tank outlined the situation in less than one minute.

"Holy shit!" Bobby exclaimed. Not another word was spoken when the SUV sped into the night toward the airport.

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter One**

Their bodies were spooned, Stephanie's back to Ranger's, front as they slept in the bedroom aboard their private jet. He felt the soft weight of her breast shift in his hand when she coughed. He gave it a light squeeze and smiled, drawing her relaxed body closer. Her next cough was harsh and racked her whole body. His concern turned into fear when he, too, began to cough.

"Gotta move, Babe!"

"Ranger, please. Just a few more minutes of sleep and I'll be ready to consummate some more." Coughing, she snuggled her face into her pillow. Next thing she knew, her body was off the bed and she was standing next to it.. "Damn, Ranger! All right, if you need it that badly." Before she could focus her sleepy eyes, Ranger pulled her discarded tee shirt over her head and shoved her back down on the bed, tossing her a pair of jeans and her tennis shoes. Guess something other than sex was on his mind.

"Ranger?" she asked while she pulled her jeans on. Stephanie watched as he pulled the covers from the bed and stuffed them around the bottom of the door. His naked body was total motion. No movement was wasted. "Ranger?" Stephanie yelled.

"Gas. Something's wrong." Ranger picked up the phone next to the bed. "John?" He knelt next to the bed and slid a small panel hidden in the platform of the bed. "John?" Dropping the phone, he pressed a series of numbers into the keypad and the bed moved sideways to expose an array of equipment. Guns, knifes, parachutes, grenades, trap door, everything the average person would expect to find under a not so average person's bed. Grabbing one of the parachutes and Stephanie, Ranger started tightening the parachute harness on her.

"What are you doing?" she asked as Ranger fastened the last strap and pulled her towards the bed. Both of them stopped moving as a loud thud sounded against the locked door.

"Listen to me." Ranger's fingers dug into her upper arms when another loud thud sounded against the door. "As soon as you start falling, count to ten and then pull this." He shoved a metal handle into her hand and made pulling motions across his chest. "When you land, relax your legs." He slapped the parachute pack on her back. "Keep this with you, it has a tracking device in it." His dark eyes searched her face; pulling her into his chest he kissed her lips. "I love you, Babe."

"And just what the fuck do you think I'm going to do?" The last traces of sleep were chased from Stephanie's mind, replaced by the realization of what he was explaining to her. "I'm not leaving you and I'm NOT jumping out of this plane!"

Two more thuds sounded with vibrating force, shaking the door on its hinges and denting it on the inside. Ranger unlocked what appeared to be a small trap door. Immediately, the room was filled with a strong feeling of suction. Ranger pulled Steph closer to the hole. **"NO!"** she screamed as he turned her upside down, held her arms tight to her side and shoved her out of the plane like an arrow.

_**"R-A-N-G-E-R!"**_ Her scream faded when she tumbled downward.

She kept her eye fixed on the metal handle she was still gripping in her hand, anything to keep from looking at the world that was whizzing past her. She tried to remember what Ranger had told her to do, but she couldn't. Besides, she had more important things to remember at the moment, like how to breathe and how to keep her heart from leaping out of her chest. Her body flipped over and she let out a scream that emptied her lungs and woke up her memory. Shit! She was supposed be counting! Should she start now or cut the count to five? Deciding proved too much for her in this situation and she yanked the handle across her chest. She was jerked back and then upwards when the parachute opened and filled with air. Her body began to drop at a slower rate, almost like floating, she thought. Wow, she sure could have used one of these when she jumped off the garage!

The ebbing of her fear should have been her first warning that things weren't going well; instead, the ear-shattering sound from above followed by pieces of metal and other burning debris falling past her was. She tried to deny what she was seeing, but she failed and comprehension of what had happened replaced her fear of falling with the horrible, paralyzing fear that Ranger hadn't made it out of the plane.

oOoOo

Twenty-four fingers rapped out a nervous rhythm against six armrests while Tank, Lester and Bobby all struggled to stay in their seats. It felt like it was taking forever to get clearance for take-off. They had hypothesized and bantered around what little information they had, now all they could do was wait. When the plane leveled off, they snapped off their seatbelts and started pacing up and down the aisle with hyper energy.

"You're cleared to use the plane's phone," the pilot's voice announced over the intercom.

Tank smacked his finger on the speaker button and then stabbed in the detective's number, "What?" The one word greeting was stretched to its limit with stress.

"Talk." Tank's stressed greeting matched the detective's.

Detective Miller remembered the man's voice and curt greeting. He rubbed his tired eyes; this was going to be a difficult conversation. "We've had another development."

Tank stopped in mid-pace at the detective's words. "What?"

Miller's exhale echoed his fatigue. "Unknown to us at the time, the RangerMan plane took off a short time before I called you." He held the phone away from his ear, knowing a verbal explosion was about to erupt from the other end. When the loud stream of profanities and questions stopped, he brought the phone back to his ear. "Ready to listen?"

"Yes." Tank held his voice to a growl.

"When we found the pilot's body, it was in a hangar assigned to another company. There was some confusion about which plane he was flying and, with him being in the wrong place next to the wrong plane, well, it simply got fucked up."

"So where's the plane? That hasn't been _simply fucked up,_ too, has it?" Tank didn't bother to keep the contempt from his voice.

Miller counted to ten. "That's the other little twist. It seems that the flight plan was changed after take-off and instead of their original plans of going to Bali they're headed for Virgin Gorda."

"Fuck!" Tank yelled. "Somebody…"

"I'm on it," Bobby answered the unfinished question and headed toward the cockpit to inform Marcus to turn the plane south.

"Miller, we're heading for Virgin Gorda. I'll have another representative from RangeMan in Vegas tomorrow morning. He'll be there to take care of John's remains. I'd appreciate it if you'd give him your full cooperation."

"Yeah, we'll play nice," Miller replied. Shit, that's all he needed on this case, another professional.

Without a departing word, Tank smashed his finger on the call end button. "Fucking idiots."

oOoOo

Ranger's feet had just slipped through the hatch when the hijackers crashed through the door. He'd managed to pull on a pair of jeans and grab his gun. He fought to adjust his parachute; it had been the last thing he'd grabbed before he dove from the plane. He could see Stephanie's chute floating below him, thankful that for once, she had followed directions. He spared a glance upward to make sure that no one else had jumped from the plane then pressed the remote detonator he held one hand and pulled his ripcord with the other. Two seconds later, the plane exploded into a million pieces of metal and burning wreckage.

Once his chute was filled with air, he tilted his body downward, head first to increase the speed and direction of his descent, hoping like hell none of the falling debris would punctured his chute. He watched Stephanie's downward progression, safe and out of range of the falling fragments.

A second and stronger explosion from the plane sounded, sending currents through the air so strong that he lost all control. Struggling to stay in a safe descent pattern, he ended up going in the opposite direction from Stephanie. The more he struggled the farther apart they became. Cursing in both English and Spanish, he scanned the area below him and tried to locate safe place to land. The only thing below them was water. Lots and lots of water. Shit, he sure hoped Stephanie knew how to swim.


	2. Chapter 2

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Two**

Stephanie's consciousness returned in small increments, but it was the rough sheets scraping beneath her body and an unbearable thirst that drew her awake. She stretched her arms and legs, seeking to find a more comfortable position and hoping to find some warm mocha skin at the same time. Damn, she and Ranger must have been extra creative last night in their lovemaking: her whole body ached!

She coaxed her eyes open, slow, one at a time then closed them both, quick and tight. The light was blinding. Hospital, she thought, I must be in a hospital. Memory flooded back, jolting her to a sitting position, her eyes squinting, her head pounding. Oh God, the plane, the parachute, Ranger…where was Ranger?

Stephanie moved her head from side to side, forcing herself to scan the area around her despite the pain in her neck. She wasn't in a hospital; she was on a beach, alone. She looked down and realized that the coarse sheets were sand, not fine Egyptian cotton. She stared out over the horizon and realized her thirst must have derived from spending time in the ocean. How much time? Her vision cleared and she swept her eyes over the area again. Yep, she was alone; there wasn't even a seagull on the beach or flying overhead. Where in the hell was she? And Ranger, what had happened to him? Had he made it out of the plane?

Tears formed in her eyes. "No… no … no!" She pounded her fists into the sand, denting it deeper and deeper with each no. "He got out… somehow." Stephanie caught a glimpse of the sun's reflection off her wedding ring and stopped. Now was not the time to fall apart, now was the time to be Stephanie Manoso. She pulled in a deep breath of courage and dragged herself to her feet, getting tangled in the cords of her chute as she stood. She kicked at the loose silk pooled at her feet in frustration and then remembered what Ranger had told her: to keep the pack with her; it had a tracker in it. Someone would find her, but until they did, she was on her own.

She raised her arm to shield her eyes from the burning sun. She winced at the pain that shot through her arm and back. She glanced down at her body and gasped. She looked like a boiled lobster that had been cracked and ready to serve. The sea and sun had done its work, turning her into what resembled a well-cooked crustacean. Every bit of porcelain skin she could see had been burned bright red, and the ocean's salt had opened painful cracks in it. She was going to have to find help soon or she was going to be faced with the possibility of a raging infection.

Just how long had she been in the ocean? Stephanie had no conscious memory of time. She remembered falling through the sky, hitting the water with a hard slap of reality, figurative and literal; she remembered swimming and treading water for what seemed like forever. She remembered growing tired, then more tired, then… nothing. She must have fallen asleep and drifted ashore. It was a wonder she hadn't drowned.

She removed the pack from her shoulders and contemplated how to disengage the chute from it. Ranger had said she needed to keep the pack with her, not the chute. She worried about the tracker being waterproof. Of course it was, she told herself. It was a piece of RangeMan equipment, and Ranger made sure that every contingency was covered. She opened the pack and sorted through the essential items of survival. Yep, everything was dry.

Her eyes clouded with tears and she dropped back down onto the sand. "Get it together, woman, you can do this. Just don't give up." She began severing the cords from the pack. When the last cord came free, she stuffed the knife back inside the pack. "Now, onto problem number two."

Picking herself up, she gathered in the billowing chute by wrapping the loose folds of silk around her body. There, at least she'd have some protection from the sun. She stood and wiped the tears from her face. She could do this, she would find someone who could help her with her immediate needs, then help her find Ranger. She had to believe he was still alive. Any other possibility was too cruel to consider.

oOoOo

Ranger woke on another beach, a beach unlike Stephanie's. From his view, he could see high-rise buildings in the distance and the sounds of civilization all around him.

He pushed himself into a seated position while he scanned his surroundings. The sky was still a murky gray, just at dawn, about five in the morning, he judged. He figured he'd been in the water for about eight hours. Taking stock, he considered himself in decent shape. His skin was waterlogged and salt-eaten, and thirst burned his throat, but otherwise he was unharmed.

He opened his waterproof pack, withdrew a knife - its edge so sharp the sun reflected off the edge of the blade - and sliced the chute cords from the pack. Digging with his hands, he scooped out large quantities of wet sand, and soon he had a hole deep enough to bury the chute. It wouldn't stay hidden for long. The first high tide would expose it, but he'd be long gone by then.

Ranger stood and scanned his surroundings, hoping to find Stephanie. Where the hell was she? He scanned the skyline, again. Miami? Ranger kept the knife in his hand and picked up his back then began moving up the beach toward the buildings on its perimeter. Before he reached it halfway, two men came out from the back entrance of one of the buildings. One of them pointed at him and yelled something, and then both began advancing in his direction.

Ranger stopped and dropped his pack then planted his feet in the sand, shoulder width apart, his fingers playing around the hilt of the knife. He steadied his weakened body while he waited for the men to reach him and the fight they appeared to be bringing his way.

oOoOo

Fatigue overtook Stephanie and her entire body ached. The only thing that kept her from dropping to the ground in defeat was the sight of some sort of house in the distance.

As she got closer, she saw a man and a woman working in what appeared to be a garden. She was infused her with new energy. "Hey!" She waved her arms in all directions, trying to attract their attention. "Hey! Hello! Over here!"

When they turned to stare at her, she could feel their fear even from the distance. She knew she looked bad, but was she _that_ scary? Her hand flew to her hair, her fingers unable to penetrate the knotted mass of curls. Well, maybe she could.

The man said something to the woman, then made a gesture in the direction of what Stephanie thought was their house. The structure was small and in bad need of repair and she could tell that their clothes were old and worn. She stopped and stood still, not wanting to alarm them anymore than she had already; right now they were her only hope.

She watched as the man walked towards her, his steps slow and filled with caution. When he was no more than five feet away, he stopped and looked her over. She stared back. The man was Hispanic, perhaps her height, his skin a shade darker than Ranger's. The fierce look on the man's face surpassed even Ranger's meanest look.

Gulping, she tried out a tentative smile. "Hi! I'm Stephanie. I need help. I was in a plane crash. I don't know where I am. I need a phone. Will you help me, please?" She was talking so fast she wasn't sure if what she had said made any sense.

The continued man to stare at her, his eyes growing wide. "Madre de Dios! Pensamos que usted estaba tratando de llegar a la Florida por medio de un barco. Pero, usted es una Americana, ¿no?" He spoke in a hushed voice. (_Mother of God! We thought you were trying to make it to Florida in a boat, but you're an American, aren't you?)_

"Huh?" Stephanie felt the panic build inside her mind as she realized the man couldn't understand her. She'd spent enough time around Ranger to recognize Spanish when she heard it, but most of the words she'd managed to learn wouldn't fit this situation, the majority of her Spanish consisted of words whispered in the bedroom, between the sheets. Still, she knew a few words.

Somehow she had to find a way to communicate with him. She searched her mind for ways to do just that when she remembered playing charades as a child. She spread her arms out to her sides shoulder level and began to imitate a plane in flight, including the sound of the engine. She didn't care that she felt like she was five years old, she'd try anything to get this man to understand how desperate she needed help. She turned back to the man, and throwing her arms up, said "BOOM!" She used a portion of the silk parachute she still had draped around her to pantomime drifting down from the sky. She shrugged and said one of the few words she knew. "Aqui." (_Here.)_

The man continued to stare. His mouth had dropped open during her silent recitation. He thought, _"Oh dear God! The government shot her plane down, and now she's seeking shelter. Why me? What have I done to deserve this?"_ He didn't know what he was going to do, he couldn't just turn his back on a woman who was injured, but if any of the neighbors saw him, he'd be turned in to the state police.

He made a quick decision and hurried his steps to get close enough to grasp her arm and pulled her toward the house, praying that no one else was awake and watching.

They were at the door when Stephanie stopped. "Where am I?" The man turned worried, confused eyes to her. Shit, he couldn't understand her. Think, Stephanie, think. What's the Spanish word for 'where'? "Donde? Donde?" Stephanie pointed around in a circle, trying to make him understand. It worked. The man pushed her inside the house, closing the door behind them. He gave her a one-word answer.

"Cuba."

Oh shit. She was in big trouble.

oOoOo

Ranger suppressed a smile when he overheard the two men talking as they approached him.

"Shit, another fucking boat person. Just what this city needs."

"Yup, like we don't have enough. This one was lucky. He made it to shore alive."

The first man sighed. "Suppose we ought to bring him inside, get him something to eat and drink. Jose can talk to him while we call the cops." The man moved his arm in a come on motion and said, "Come on, buddy. Welcome to America, land of the free, home of the brave."

Now, Ranger did smile. "Thanks, it's good to be back home. Do either of you have a phone?"

oOoOo

Hours later, Ranger paced his hotel room, worried and anxious. When he'd discovered he was indeed in Miami and had proved his identity from his sodden wallet, he'd booked a suite in the nearest hotel.

The police allowed him to remain free on the condition that he stayed in his hotel room until they could verify his story. That had been three hours ago: it shouldn't have taken that long to confirm his story. There was a guard outside the suite and the phone would only connect to the desk. He knew - he'd tried!

He had to find Stephanie. He needed to contact Tank. He needed to find out who had tried to kill them and why. He couldn't do any of that confined to a hotel room with no access to the outside world. Although there was one thing he didn't plan on doing and that was contacting anyone outside of his core team, not even his family. Until he knew who was behind the high-jacking of his plane and the attempted murder, everyone had to be considered a suspect.

He selected a piece of fruit from the arrangement on the coffee table when a sharp knock sounded on the door. Without waiting for a reply, the door swung open. Ranger's entire body tensed and then relaxed when the detective he'd meet with earlier stepped into the room.

Experienced eyes took in Ranger's stance. Yeah, Detective Lopez thought, Manoso was everything his file said he was. Despite his weakened condition, the man had been prepared to take him down. "Expecting trouble?"

Ranger shook his head. "No, I just want to find my wife."

Lopez nodded. "Well, seems there's a Detective Miller from the Las Vegas PD who's anxious to talk to you, and someone by the name of Tank is a… little upset that he hasn't been able to speak to you yet."

Ranger started to smile, but his blistered and cracked lips stopped him quick. Tank would be well beyond a 'little' upset by now. Rampage status would be more accurate.

"Your friend Tank is on his way here, should be landing within the hour, and since we've had an official request to detain you, Detective Miller is catching the next flight out. He should be here by morning."

"Any word on my wife?"

Lopez shook his head. "Sorry, no. We've spoken to the Coast Guard; they're going to do an aerial search. We're checking with all the coastal PD's for any word of a floater washing up." Seeing the anger break across Ranger's face, Lopez raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Relax, Manoso, you should know that's a term we use down here for the live ones too."

Ranger blew out a breath. "Yeah, I know. I'm just having a hard time sitting here doing nothing. I appreciate their efforts."

"Relax, eat something, you look like you could use about forty-eight hours of sleep. I've been asked to keep you company so why don't we trade war stories until your friend gets here?

Ranger narrowed his eyes at Lopez.

"Looks like you and I are gonna be best buds during this rescue mission." Lopez smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Three**

The gray of dawn faded into the pastel hues of pink and lavender, before the brilliant blue sky announced the full arrival of a new day. Uncaring, Ranger observed the changes from his hotel window. Nothing mattered to him but finding Stephanie. Nothing.

Except for answering Detective Lopez's questions he hadn't uttered a single word. He understood that Lopez was just doing his job and the red tape that went along with it. He had to force himself to remain calm when what he wanted to do was force his way out of the room and take charge of the situation.

Tank's arrival was announced by his slamming the door open, with Bobby and Lester close behind. "Ric!" Relief sounded in Tank's voice.

Ranger couldn't stop the painful smile from playing across his face while he watched his friends enter the room in single file. "Yo."

Not being as reserved as Ranger, Tank crossed the room in two lengthy strides and embraced him in a bone-crushing hug. Ranger knew it was Tank's way and that it was better to just accept it and not try to fight him on it. Sure enough, the hug lasted for a few seconds, and then Tank stepped back to resume his business-like demeanor.

"Any news on Steph?" Tank asked, his eyes full of worry.

"Not since earlier," Ranger said. "The Coast Guard is concentrating their search in the area where they first picked up a tracking signal. From the location, I'm almost certain it's hers. After the second explosion, my chute carried me away from Stephanie. So the area makes sense."

"When are they going to expand the search?" Lester asked.

"Not sure." Ranger raked his hands through his hair, unable to contain his impatience. "I can't leave until after Detective Miller has a chance to question me. He's supposed to be here anytime."

Tank's eyes met Ranger's. He understood his best friend's level of worry. "Don't worry, man, you know Steph, she always finds her way out of trouble. Besides, our Miami office is working on it. There's a driver waiting for you downstairs. Soon as you're done here, he'll haul your injured ass over to join us."

Turning his attention to Detective Lopez, Tank did a quick study of the man. "I'd like to see the Coast Guards rescue reports." Tank waited. He was curious as to how helpful Lopez was going to be in sharing information.

Detective Lopez knew that both Manoso and his friend were working hard to keep their assertiveness in check. Both men were trained to take control of a situation and were used to being the ones giving the orders. He had to admire the level of control Manoso had exhibited so far; it looked like his friend was comfortable in following Manoso's lead. Knowing that it would be better to have them working with him instead of against him, Lopez walked over to his briefcase, removed a thin manila folder and handed it to Tank and then waited to see what the large man did with the information and who he would contact.

Tank perused the report before passing it over to Bobby and Lester. While the other two men reviewed the report, Tank pulled out his cell phone and punched in a local number.

"Leon, we need the boat, have it ready in thirty." Tank listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. "Thanks." He disconnected the call and directed his attention back to Ranger. "Remember, your wife's a smart woman. We'll keep you posted." Tank pulled an extra cell phone from one of the deep pockets on the side of his pants and handed it to Lopez. "That's his." He nodded in Ranger's direction and turned to leave.

Ranger forced himself not to overtake Lopez and leave with his friends when they headed back out the door.

oOoOo

Miguel rolled over in the large bed and reached for his ringing phone, trying in desperation to silence it.

"Shit," he muttered as he yanked the phone up to his ear. ¿Qué?

"Did you accomplish your assignment?" The stern voice asked from the other end of the phone. Just the sound of the older man's voice had Miguel sitting up in bed, clearing his head.

"Yes, of course I did," Miguel, said trying to sound self-assured. "No problem. Ricardo was so lax in his security that taking him out was easy." He knew the plane had exploded, but he hadn't received confirmation from the two men he'd hired to do the job. Hopefully, they had died in the explosion as well. Still, he worried that the old man might have better means of information.

The expansion of quietness grew as Miguel waited for the older man's response. Not able to stand the silence any longer, he blurted out, "I promise you, everything was taken care of. Everything; including his beautiful new wife." Miguel also didn't share his thoughts of sparing the woman and saving her for himself. He knew that if the old man ever found out, he'd be a dead man in a matter of hours.

"Let us hope that you are correct," the older man said before he hung up the phone.

Miguel's body sagged against the headboard with relief upon hearing the disconnection of the call. A sudden feeling of euphoria settled between his legs. Rolling over, he grabbed the woman lying in the bed next to him. So what if he had to pay her extra, he had good reason to celebrate! His cousin, Ricardo Carlos Manoso was dead! Long live Miguel José Manoso!

oOoOo

Detective Miller questioned Manoso for over an hour and he could tell the man was ready to take matters in his own hands, the detective's neck among them. "One last question. Do you recognize this man?" Miller held out a blurred black and white photo that appeared to have been enlarged from a security camera.

"Maybe." Ranger studied the photo.

"How about this one?" Miller handed him a clearer photo. "Any easier?"

Ranger studied the picture and then closed his eyes while he crumpled the picture in his hand. "His name is Miguel Manoso. He's my cousin."

"Could you have pissed him off by not inviting him to your little wedding?" Miller was careful at how he poked at Ranger's edginess. God knew he didn't want to come to blows with him. "One of the hotel employees remembered him and that he was asking questions about you."

"Detective, I believe that my wife is alive somewhere and it's of the utmost importance that we find her before my cousin does… or he'll kill her."

oOoOo

Stephanie felt the cool wetness upon her brow. Oh God it felt wonderful. Why was she so hot? She fumbled to push the covers off her body. Maybe Ranger was too close? She tried to turn onto her side, hoping to put some space between their bodies, but her body refused to cooperate with the signals from her brain. She stopped moving when a wave of nausea engulfed her. Shit, this was sooo not good. She tried to speak, but the words came out in the form of a groan; another bad sign. She could still feel the dampness on her brow, but now it was warm. Another groan sounded from inside her and the dampness was once again cool. It felt wonderful. This time Stephanie didn't fight her body, instead she just let it drift away, hoping to leave the pain behind.

oOoOo

Detective Miller snapped his briefcase closed when Detective Lopez handed Ranger his phone. It started ringing as soon as it was in Ranger's hand. "Yo."

"We just received a message from the Coast Guard. They've picked up a faint echo on their radar screen. They're adjusting the search coordinates. Time to hurry it up, my friend," Tank said.

"Just finished, I'm on my way." Ranger started gathering up various items one-handed and stuffing them in his pockets. One of the items caught Detective Lopez's attention, Ranger's gun. "Pick me up at Sam's Dock." Ranger listened for a few minutes before speaking again. "Miguel is behind this." Ranger rushed for the door.

"Manoso!" Detective Lopez called him back. "A helicopter would be faster."

Ranger stopped, looked at Lopez and nodded. "Thanks." Lopez nodded. "You're welcome to come along, just remember that I'm in charge now and I don't always follow the rules."

"Figured that out already," Lopez said with a tight smile.

As the helicopter hovered above Sam's Dock, Ranger scanned the water's vast surface. It would be dark soon and therefore he cursed the wasted hours. Not willing to wait any longer, Ranger hunched over and leaped from the helicopter as soon as the pilot touched down.

"Update." Ranger shouted over the noise of the rotating blades to Lester, who had run to meet him.

"Tank's on the phone with the Coast Guard right now." Lester nodded his head in the big man's direction. "Nothing new until he finishes." Lester looked at his friend's face. The two of them had been through a lot together. Good and bad, but he'd never seen Ranger look worried, no matter which situation.

Tank made his way to Ranger; his feet felt as if they were made of lead. Everyone else crowded around to hear the news. How in the hell was he going to stop Ric from going after Stephanie? Simple, he wouldn't be able to so he'd have to think of something else, but right now his mind was blank. One thing was sure; marriage hadn't changed the Bombshell one bit! "They've pinpointed the tracker's signal." Tank answered the inquiring lift of Ranger's eyebrow.

"Let's go," Ranger ordered and started for the boat. The other three men raced after him.

"Wait!" Tank shouted, bringing everyone to a stop. "Wait?" Ranger stopped and turned to face his friend. The look on his face caused Tank to take a step back. "I have waited. I have wasted this whole day waiting. I waited two fucking years for Stephanie." Ranger retraced his steps and was now standing nose to nose with his friend. "I did not wait all that time just to have my family interfere with my life."

Ranger's hands were fisted, ready to strike out at the man in front of him when he realized that Tank wasn't finished with his news. "What?" he asked and relaxed his hands.

"It's not what, it's where." Tank saw the confused looks on the other men's faces. "The problem is where Stephanie is."

"Explain," Ranger said through clenched teeth.

"Cuba. She's in Cuba," Tank answered.

Ranger stared at his friend. "You've got to be shitting me!"


	4. Chapter 4

**DANGEROUS MERGERS  
Chapter Four  
**

Manuel's worried eyes watched the young woman. She was dehydrated and suffering from a sever case of sun poisoning. Her fever was high. Her rest was nothing but fitful tossing and turning. He and his wife, Emilia, had been taking turns changing the wet cloths on her forehead. Both had trickled water between her cracked lips into her mouth. Emilia had rubbed the woman's body down with the cooling fluid from the aloe leaves that he had picked from their garden.

Their care would have to be enough, they couldn't risk calling for the doctor. First, it would cost money they didn't have and second, letting anyone know that they were hiding a stranger - and an American at that - would invite the wrath of the federal police. Even if they could prove they had not known her, they would be placed under surveillance, their jobs taken, their lives ruined.

The woman was too weak to travel. She would need to rest for a day or two. When her strength returned, they would have to ask her to leave. He and Emilia had discussed it, but for now, rest, fluids, and aloe were the best that they could, and should provide.

Manuel looked up when his wife walked into the room. She was carrying a clean nightshirt for the woman to wear. Emilia made a waving motion with her hand, chasing him away so that she could care for the young woman. Manuel nodded, kissed his wife on the cheek and left her to tend their patient.

The young woman began moaning the minute Emilia started to remove the sweat-drenched nightshirt she had put on her a few hours ago. She spoke to the young woman in soft reassuring words. The sound of Spanish quieted her for a while; then she would become agitated and call out the word – ranger - over and over again. They did not understand what the word meant, but Emilia knew from the way the young woman cried out, that she was afraid for someone she loved.

Last night, she and Manuel had decided that Manuel would ask Enrique's father if the young boy could come to their house to translate the young woman's words once she was awake. Enrique's father and Manuel worked together as mechanics in the city. They were good friends and they trusted each other. Enrique's mother had spoken English and had taught her son. It was Enrique's father's dream that his son would one day be able to live in the United States of America. Manuel and Emilia knew that they would help however they could to make that dream come true and tell no one.

oOoOo

"It's not possible!" Miguel said in shock.

"It is a fact." The older man's voice was severe, reproving.

"I don't understand. I took care of the pilot myself and two of our best men were on the plane. I watched the plane leave. I monitored the progress of the flight. I realize that the plane exploding wasn't part of the plan and that you would have preferred to be the one to kill him, but dead was the ending we both wished him." Miguel paused, trying to calm himself. If this information were true, he would have to watch his step around the old man. "How do you know this?"

"One of my informants saw him at Sam's Dock, heard him talking with the police and another person. He spoke of his wife. She, too, is still alive, but missing."

"How can she be missing if they know she is alive?" Miguel did not understand any of this. Ricardo and his wife should not be alive. Damn his cousin, the man had more lives than a gato! _(cat)_

"Maybe misplaced would be a better word. They know where she is. However, it is a little inconvenient for them to retrieve her."

Miguel repressed a sigh. He was already in deep enough shit with his failure. But did the man expect him to be psychic? "What's the problem?"

"Her location."

This time, Miguel didn't bother to mask his impatience. "And her location is…?"

The sound of the old man's laughter froze Miguel. He had never heard Alfredo laugh before; hell, he'd only seen him smile twice! "Her location could not be more perfect. She is in Cuba!"

Miguel burst into laughter of his own. It was true; it could not be more perfect. Ricardo could not risk going there, again, but he, Miguel, could come and go from the island with ease. There were many sections of the island where people quaked in fear at the name of Miguel Manoso. Many a favor owed to him, many who would fawn in the hopes of receiving one.

"Let me guess, I'm going on a short trip."

"Oh yes, indeed you are. I want you gone this evening."

"It should be a simple matter to find Stephanie Manoso and dispose of her. An English-speaking American woman will stick out like a sore thumb. I may not even have to kill her. Perhaps that little chore has already been taken care of."

The voice on the other end of the line sobered. "You had best hope not. I want her alive, very much alive, and in good condition. With the exception of his daughter, Ricardo has but a few vulnerabilities in his life. But his new bride will give us the leverage we need. I suspect Ricardo will be more than willing to deal with us if we possess something this precious of his."

A slow smile spread across Miguel's face. This was good, very good. A chance to even the score on many levels, both business and personal. He thought of Ricardo's wife, envy flashing across his features. A beautiful woman, a desirable woman. He would have her, and Ricardo would know. Even that wouldn't come close to evening the score between them, but it would be a start. "I'll make some calls, get a few of the men working on locating her, pass the word that she is not to be harmed. I'll be on my way within an hour after dusk."

"See that you are. And Miguel? Make sure you succeed this time. Another failure cannot be ignored."

"Si, padre. I will not fail." Miguel didn't miss the unspoken threat.

oOoOo

"What do you mean she's in Cuba? She can't be!"

"Ric, calm down." Tank knew this wasn't going to be easy. "She can and is."

"You're sure?"

Tank stared hard at his friend without answering, the man knew better than to question his information.

Ranger started pacing, each step punctuated with a curse. He stopped short and shook his head. "How the hell does she do it? We've only been married a day. Another week of this and I'll be dead."

Tank snorted. "Hey, I figured that was one of the things you love about her." Ranger turned to glare at him, then stalked away again, muttering to himself. Detectives Lopez and Miller each raised an eyebrow in question. Tank shook his head and mouthed, "Later."

The three men stood watching and waiting for Ranger. After several minutes, he turned and walked back to them. There was no mistaking the resolve on his face. "Tank, I need you to get back to the office. Contact Will. We don't have any assets in Cuba, but he does. With him at Guantanamo, he's the best shot we have, and remind him that he owes me a big one."

Tank smiled. He remembered that little caper that had Will in Ranger's debt. Will was a good man; he'd do his best to even the score. "Anything else?"

Ranger gave a quick tip of his head, indicating that Tank should follow him. He led Tank a dozen yards away from the others. "I need you to keep these two busy for the next ten minutes."

"Why?"

"Because I need to contact the Organization."

Tank raised his eyebrow. The organization wouldn't help a civilian, not even if it was the wife of one of their own. Hell, they didn't help their own when they were stuck in hostile territory. It didn't make sense. "Why?"

Ranger stared long and hard. He didn't want to tell Tank his plan. He knew what the reaction would be, and didn't want to waste time arguing. On the other hand, someone needed to know what he was planning to do. "Because I need a new identity, a change in appearance, and a ride."

It was Tank's turn to stare. "Shit, Ric, you can't go back there. Anyone recognizes you; you won't make it out this time, at least not alive. Send someone else."

Ranger's face went blank.

Tank shook his head. He recognized the look. There'd be no arguing with Ranger on this one.

"She's my wife. I won't, no, I can't, sit back and trust anyone else to do this for me. And don't forget about Miguel. He can slip in and out of that island like he's slipping in and out of his bed. I don't even want to think about what would happen if he finds out Stephanie is alive and gets to her before I do. He's done this to get at me. I'm the one he wants, I'm the one he'll get."

Tank scrubbed his face with his hands. Ranger was right. Miguel was a vicious little shit, and his finding out that Stephanie and Ric were still alive was only a matter of time. "I got a bad feeling about this one, man."


	5. Chapter 5

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Five**

The sound of gunfire echoed in the far distant corners of Stephanie's blurred consciousness. Was someone shooting at her? Should she run for cover? Why wasn't her body and mind working together? Where the hell was the bathroom?

"Estate quieta. Acuéstate." (_Keep still. Lie back)_

"Ranger?" Her voice sounded dry and brittle. She swallowed, hoping to moisten her throat. "Ranger?"

"No ranger." The older woman tried to calm the young woman down. Emilia's nervous eyes glanced out the window again, hoping to see Manuel with Enrique. What was taking them so long? The woman's fever had broken, but she was still delirious.

Stephanie struggled against the restraining pair of hands pressing down on her shoulders. Didn't they hear the gunfire? Had there even been gunfire? Why did everything look so fuzzy and why was she so confused? She used what little coherent thought she had and forced herself to calm down. Calm would be good. Calm would help her figure out what was going on.

The restraining hold on her shoulders was lifted and she opened eyes. She didn't recognize her surroundings; then again, that wasn't anything new. Rolling her eyes, she tried to focus on the face of the woman sitting on the side of the bed; at least she assumed she was lying on a bed. Her eyes were almost focused when she again heard the sound of gunfire and tried to get up. The older woman pressed her back down and shot an angry stream of Spanish over her shoulder. Stephanie squinted her eyes, trying to see _who or what_ had angered the woman. Little by little the room came into focus. There was a young child standing next to a large wooden table. What was the child doing?

This time when Stephanie heard the gunfire, her foggy mind was able to connect the sound to what was causing it. The child was pouring dried beans into a large metal pot. Knowing that she wasn't in danger of being shot or killed by a dry bean, she allowed her body to relax and brought her eyes back to the older woman's face. The two of them stared at each other. The sound of a door opening caused the woman's eyes to break away. Not strong enough to care who was coming through the door, Stephanie closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

oOoOo

Miguel watched the rise and fall of the foamy white-capped waves from the plane's small window. The pilot was flying in the narrow pocket of air space known as Drug Runners' alley, a space so tight that in order to avoid being detected on the radar, the wheels of the plane almost touched the water. Miguel had traveled this course so many times that he could tell when they had entered the area just by the number of times his ears popped. Soon he'd be on Cuban soil, God how he hated living there. What little money the country had was used to support the few luxuries found in a small center portion of Havana for tourism. Outside of that area was nothing but poverty and civil unrest. The Manoso name still carried power and depending on what your first name was, it could bring either fear or respect even today. He turned his attention away from the water and allowed his thoughts to drift to the past, back to when his father and Ricardo's father had taken different stands on what was best for Cuba and her citizens. Ricardo's father wanted to risk all the family's material wealth to support the fight for freedom. Miguel's father felt that the family's wealth should remain in the family's pockets.

In the end, Ricardo's father had been killed. Ricardo, along with the remaining members of his immediate family and the bulk of the Manoso fortune, fled to America. The final insult came when Miguel's fiancée, Maria, and her family escaped with them. Maria Chavez was to have been his wife instead she had married Ricardo. Now, thanks to a twist of fate, he would have his chance at revenge.

oOoOo

Ranger stood on the balcony looking out over the water, ignoring the three men behind him as he talked on the phone. He knew Tank was fuming over his decision to act alone in this matter; he was just going to have to get over it. Besides, if something went wrong, he trusted Tank to find Stephanie.

"Everything's all set," Ranger said, not bothering to look in their direction. "Johnson's arranging a conference call with Will on a secured line."

"Who's Johnson?" Detectives Miller and Lopez asked in unison.

"A friend." Using a tone of finality, Tank stepped away from them and went to stand next to his friend; he too stared in the direction of Cuba.

"We'll find her and bring her home, just stay focused." Tank gave his friend a gentle slap on the back to show his support.

"That's the plan and the only acceptable outcome to this cluster fuck." Ranger said and reached to answer his ringing phone.

"Yo." He listened for a few minutes as the other part of the conference call was connected. "Need your help, Will." Again Ranger became quiet, listening to the man on the other end of the call. A brief flicker of a smile appeared on his lips and then it disappeared. "I'm sure Johnson has briefed you on the plan. Do you have anything to add?" Ranger's jaw tightened while he listened to whatever Will was saying. "Yes, that is correct. My wife." Ranger grew silent again, this time his whole face tightened. "One day." He held the phone away from his ear and looked at it. Turning to Tank, he handed the phone to him. "Remind me that when all this is over, I need to hurt that man."

Tank put the phone to his ear and listened to the loud roar of laughter coming over the line. Tank shook his head, pitying Will already.

oOoOo

Stephanie wasn't sure which sensation had caused her to wake. Was it the wonderful smell of food that had her stomach screaming for attention or was it the annoying vibration coming from her right arm?

"Lady." Now the vibration had a voice. "Lady." She opened her eyes and looked at the small child standing next to her. "Wake up, lady." Damn, if he'd just stop shaking her.

"What?" she croaked.

Just by uttering that one word, the child stopped shaking her and rattled off a long line of Spanish.

"Lady?" Stephanie rolled her head to find her face even with his. "You okay?"

"No." Stephanie closed her eyes and tried to get her thoughts under control. "Water."

"Agua," the small boy spoke to the older woman. "Who are you?"

"Stephanie. Stephanie Plum… uh, I mean, Manoso, Stephanie Manoso."

"Manoso?" The youngster's eyes grew large.

"Yes." Stephanie wasn't sure why the child looked so alarmed. "Ricardo Manoso is my husband." She watched the boy's large eyes change from having the look of fear in them to having the look of wonderment. Again, the child rattled off a string of Spanish, this time his words caused a hushed silence to fall over the room.

"I'm Enrique." The boy tapped his small chest. "I speak English."

"Thank God," Stephanie said and watched Enrique make the sign of the cross over his small chest. "Oops."

"Oops?" Enrique parroted back at her.

Stephanie started to smile at the child's question, but ended up wincing in pain. Raising her hand to her mouth, she felt the large patches of dryness that encircled her mouth.

"Emilia." Her young interpreter pointed to the woman when she returned with a glass of water.

It was her turn to mimic the boy. "Emilia. Gracias."

"You speak Spanish?"

"No." Her voice sounded better after the sips of water Emilia had given her.

"No problem, I will teach you," Enrique said as he smiled at her.

She snorted. Poor kid, he had no idea how many times Ranger had tried to teach her. "I need to find my husband, will they help me?"

Before Enrique could answer an older man hurried through the door, his hands gesturing and his words quick. He hurried across the room and started to help her up. She was surprised at how weak she was and welcomed his assistance. Enrique ran to help her from the other side.

"Hurry," Enrique said in a whisper. "We need to hide."

"Why?"

"Not now! Get in the closet." Enrique pulled back a brightly colored rug, exposing a crooked door that had no doorknob. He put his small fingers in the hole and pulled the door open. "Inside!"

Despite her muddled mind, she recognized the urgency the others felt and with Emilia's help followed the child inside. Behind her the door closed and she heard the soft swish of the rug falling back into place. Enrique dropped to his knees and began wedging his small fingers into the back corner of the small closet. A rectangle section of the back wall slipped open.

"Crawl through, quick!" His small hands pulled on her arm. Dropping to her hands and knees, she started to crawl through the opening, hoping she wouldn't run into any creepy crawlies along the way. She felt a pair of small hands pushing her butt. "Faster!"

"I'm going, I'm going," she whispered back. "Damn." Damn, he may be young but Enrique seemed to have the same level impatience that another Cuban had when it came to her ass.

"No bad words. Hurry!" The boy urged her from behind and then began replacing the small section of the wall to cover the opening. "Don't make any noise!"

Great. Just great. She was being stuffed inside a hidey-hole by a 10-year-old Cuban male version of her mother!


	6. Chapter 6

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Six**

Miguel paced around his hotel room. To some, it might have been considered luxurious, but to him, the room was well below his usual standards. He could have stayed with relatives, but his standard of living would have been reduced that much further. Patience, he counseled himself, although patience was not one of his stronger qualities.

He began pacing faster, and the faster he paced the uglier his mood became. A knock changed the course of his pacing and he reached to open the door. "Come in," he instructed the six large and intimidating men waiting on the other side. Each man nodded to him in silent respect as they entered the room and waited for his permission to be seated.

"Gentlemen. An interesting and unique opportunity has landed in our laps. My cousin Ricardo has gotten remarried."

He paused, checking the response. Some raised eyebrows, and there were a few looks of puzzlement. Those looks would turn to appreciation when he told them the rest of the story. Ricardo's exploits in Cuba, and those of his father before him, left a need for revenge in official, and some very unofficial, quarters. When word got out that Ricardo's wife was somewhere on the island and that Ricardo himself would be expected to make the attempt to save her, the chase would be on and Miguel would have his army in place.

Smiling, he continued, "It seems the plane Ricardo and his wife were on had an unfortunate accident on the way to their honeymoon. He and his bride were forced to parachute out. Lucky for Ricardo, he has been found alive and well in Miami." The faces that had broken out in smiles turned to frowns. "Bastardo!" _(Bastard)_

Miguel held up a hand for silence. "His wife, however, seems to have been blown a little farther south," he paused, waiting to see if any of the men were smart enough to realize just where she might have ended up. He smiled when he saw the look of astonishment on a few faces. "That's correct, she is somewhere here in Cuba. Since we do not know which end of the island she came ashore, we will need to spread our initial search to cover the entire north shore."

Before he could continue, a man wearing a uniform broke in, "I may be of some help: even now, the military and police are searching house to house. Our radar picked up a jumper coming in yesterday. She will be found."

Miguel frowned. "Yes, she will be found, but I much prefer that she be found by us. Not the police, not the military. She is an American. You can count on Ricardo using his resources to make that known. She will become a political pawn. On the other hand, if we were to find her, she would become a bargaining chip."

Comprehension dawned on the men. Sly smiles turned to chuckles. The man in uniform kept the briefest of smiles on his lips. "I think, Miguel, that with the correct sum of motivation, even if the authorities happen to find her first, they could be persuaded to forget."

Miguel beamed his approval. "That is an excellent thought, Esteban. That is your task, and I would advise you to move on it without delay. I'm sure you, like me, would prefer to keep the motivation within our own organization." Greed, Miguel knew, was a strong motivator. It worked very well for him, and would expect it to work just as well for the others. Having seen the beautiful woman who was the focus of their hunt, Miguel felt a veiled threat was necessary. Greed, after all, came in more than one form. He handed the man a picture of Stephanie and motioned for him to pass it around.

"Understand one thing." Miguel stopped to stare into the eyes of each man sitting in the room. "Stephanie Manoso is to be taken alive and brought to me unharmed in any way. That is a direct order, which, if unheeded, will result in the most extreme punishment or death not only for the man who commits the act, but the man who commands him. Is that clear?" Miguel watched all six heads nod in agreement.

Good, he thought. That little pleasure would be his and his alone. He owed his cousin a personal retribution for Maria and he had every intention of delivering it.

oOoOo

Tank looked at his watch, and then over at Ranger who was stretched out on the couch looking like he didn't have a care in the world. Will said he'd call back in an hour and that was getting close. Tank stood and stretched, and then walked over to check the connecting door between their room and the room the detectives were in.

"Relax, my friend." Ranger said, not bothering to open his eyes.

Both men were sure that the detectives had planted listening devices throughout the suite so they kept their conversation careful and to a minimum. They were going to have to make-do with secluding themselves in the bathroom and turning on the water for interference when Will's call came through. Not the ideal setup, but at least it wouldn't raise suspicion; at least that was their hope.

Miller didn't worry Ranger, but Lopez was a different animal. Their chat while waiting for Tank had intrigued Ranger enough to place another call after Tank had hung up with Will. The information he'd received on Lopez had him concerned. Except for being a cop, Lopez would have fit right into this operation, but with what he was planning to do Ranger couldn't risk any interference on this end. He'd get more than enough once he reached Cuba.

"I'm a little concerned." Tank raised his eyebrow in puzzlement. "You might want to keep an eye on that little problem." Ranger said and rubbed his hand over his arm and then pointed at the next room. Tank nodded, understanding that Ranger was comparing his skin to Lopez's.

Tank's other eyebrow raised. "How would you suggest I take care of that little problem when we have this other little problem?"

Ranger stared at his friend. "You can take care of that problem and I'll take care of the other one."

"If you think I'm letting you have all the _fun_, you can think again."

"Will and his people will be watching my back. I need someone here so that I don't get blindsided. Wouldn't go down well if my trip south was publicized, and it would go less well if it gets preempted."

"Ric, man, you're not thinking. Will can't back you up; he's stranded at the base. You don't know his people. You don't know if they're dependable."

"Will might be restricted in the physical area that he has access to, but he's free and clear with unlimited tactical coverage. He'll be the ops and communication liaison. You know him, you know his people. They're dependable. I need you here." Seeing the stubborn look on Tank's face, Ranger used a word he didn't use with many. "Please."

Tank didn't get a chance to state his case because the phone rang. He followed Ranger into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Ranger turned the water on in the tub before he answered the call.

"Yo." Ranger listened for several minutes, nodding every now and then. "No problem, Leon can make the delivery. What are the coordinates?" Ranger closed his eyes. Tank knew he was making a mental picture of the received information.

Eyes open again, Ranger asked, "When?" He sighed. "Can we make that later by two hours?" A pause. "I have a tag team." He shook his head. "No, a couple of cops. Tank's going to keep them out of the way, but it will be easier if it's later. One of them is pretty sharp. We're gonna have to dull him down a little."

Ranger kept his eyes lowered. "Of course he does, but I need him here. Why don't you explain it to him? And Will? Thanks." Ranger passed the phone to Tank and sat on the closed lid of the toilet, head in his hands. He rubbed his fingers across his face. Damn, he was tired. He hadn't had any real sleep since the nap on the plane.

The next thing he knew was Tank's hand pushing on his shoulder. "Ric? You okay?" When Ranger looked up, Tank could see the weariness and strain in his eyes.

"I'm fine. Did Will give you all the details?" Tank nodded. "Good, I have an errand I need you to run for me. Slip out and head over to the office, pick up my standard weapons and communications. Bring an extra gun and enough clothes to last a week. Also pick up some knockout drops."

"What the hell do you want those for? You plan on knocking out Steph so she'll come without a fuss?" Tank grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

Ranger scowled. "It's for the cops. While I'm catching some sleep, you're going to be entertaining them and making very, very sure that they sleep sound tonight. While you're out, I'll call Leon and fill him in on the details."

"I still don't like you going in alone. Too much can go wrong," Tank glowered.

Ranger sighed. "I told you, I need your backup here." He looked down for a moment before raising his eyes to look at his friend. "Besides, if I don't make it, it's not going to matter to me anymore. But Steph will still be stuck there. I need you to promise me that you'll go in after her, that you'll take care of her for me."

Tank stared back. "You'll make it."

Ranger held Tank's gaze with his own. "Just promise me."

Tank blew out a stream of air. "I promise."

Ranger nodded and rose, then did something else that didn't often happen. "Thanks, man." He folded his arms around his large friend and hugged him.

oOoOo

Stephanie hadn't understood a single word that came through the thin walls, but she sure understood the tone. Her Samaritans were being questioned and badgered about her. She held her breath, praying that their kindness would hold up through the interrogation.

Enrique was quick to put his finger to his lips. Stephanie rolled her eyes. It was like sitting in church with her mother. The kid was cute and it was comforting to be able to communicate with someone, but she could just tell that, over time, he could become a major pain in the ass. No swearing, no talking, who knew how many more 'no's' were in his vocabulary?

They sat in silence for another good ten minutes until the closet door was opened, and then the second small door, and Emilia's face appeared. She motioned for them to come out.

It took Stephanie a minute to work the cramps out of her legs. When she was settled back in bed, she looked over at Enrique. "What the hell was that all about?"

Enrique looked pained. "Please, Senora Manoso, it is upsetting to hear such a great lady speak so many bad words."

Stephanie wasn't sure why the phrase 'great lady' caused her to think of her hair, but her hands flew to her head. She groaned as she felt the matted mass of tangled curls. She closed her eyes and chastised herself for worrying about such a small thing when she had bigger problems, like finding Ranger.

Enrique patted her on the cheek, trying to comfort her. "Those were the police. They are searching for someone who was detected coming through the sky by parachute. They questioned my friends, demanding to know if they had seen or heard anything."

"What did they say?" Stephanie felt uneasy.

"Nothing, they know nothing. Say a prayer that none of the neighbors say anything."

"My pack! Where's my pack?" She screamed.

"Pack? What is a pack?" Enrique was confused, he wasn't sure what had her so excited.

"I had pack, a pouch, a satchel, a bag when I was washed ashore. Where is it?" She used her hands to show the size of the pack.

Enrique turned to Manuel and translated the information, using his hands, like Stephanie had to show the pack's size.

Manuel answered the question with a stream of rapid Spanish; however, he used his hands not to show the shape of the pack, but what had become of it.

Enrique wasn't sure how to translate all that Manuel had done, but he had to try. "He says he tossed all the contents back into the water and then he burned the cloth. He was afraid the government would come looking for you and find… "

"Evidence." Stephanie completed the young man's sentence.

"Yes, evidence." Enrique repeated.

Stephanie sighed, remembering where she was. "It's not just me in danger, is it? You could all be in danger, too."

Enrique's eyes turned solemn, too solemn for a child his age. "Si, es verdad_._" He caught himself and gave her a beautiful smile. "Forgive me. Yes, that is true."

Wow, Stephanie thought. There must be something about this island that grew such heart-melting smiles. The thought caused a moment of pain to flicker through her eyes. Ranger. God, she hoped he was all right. He had to be safe, she'd know it in her heart if he wasn't, right? She needed to find a way out of here, needed to find him. "So, what do we do next? Do they want me to leave?"

Enrique relayed the question to Emilia, who looked horrified. She shot off a rapid-fire stream of Spanish that had Stephanie gaping.

"No! It would dishonor the household to turn away the wife and daughter-in-law of two of Cuba's heroes!"

Stephanie stared at the boy, confused. She didn't know what to say, had no idea what he was talking about. So, she said the first thing that came into her mind. "Huh?"


	7. Chapter 7

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Seven**

Stephanie heard the soft sound of Enrique's laughter and looked in his direction. She blushed when she noticed that both Enrique and Emilia were smiling at her. Damn, she needed to break her habit of moaning when she ate. But who could blame her? She lifted the large cup to her lips and drained the last of the soup into her mouth, marveling at all the different and wonderful tastes that touched her tongue. She stared down into the empty cup and wondered how it was possible to make what looked like plain old chicken broth taste almost as good as a meatball sub from Pino's.

"You wish more?" Enrique asked and reached for her cup.

Stephanie looked into the small boy's face. Already he was handsome and that smile … tears pooled in her eyes. Shaking her head no, she handed the cup to Enrique. "Don't cry, Senora, he will come." This time, she nodded in agreement, but her tears managed to escape and slid down her face.

oOoOo

Tank handed Ranger the rubberized duffle bag. "Already double checked it, thought you could use the extra sleep."

Ranger nodded his thanks and slung the bag over his shoulder. "I left some written instructions back at the hotel; consider it part two of your promise." He heard Tank mutter a string of obscenities under his breath.

Tank felt his fear and his anger start to surface. Ranger going into Cuba alone was a huge mistake. Hell, they almost didn't get him out the last time he'd ventured in to take care of a personal situation. "Damn it, Ric, you know this is a mistake."

"We've already had this discussion, just remember your promise." Ranger tossed his duffle down into the boat that Leon had idling next to the dock.

"Yeah, I know, but it's a promise I hope like hell I never have to keep." Tank's words were tight. "Just promise me you'll bring you and your wife back safe and sound."

Ranger nodded and gave his friend one last look before Leon steered the boat away from the dock and towards open water.

oOoOo

The two brothers stared out over the dark expansion of water in silence, the boat floating to the exact coordinates Will had given them.

Will watched the small blue blip on his handheld tracking device: right on time. Punctuality had always been one of Manoso's professional qualities. He lifted his night vision scope and scanned the dark horizon. Nothing yet, but they should be coming into view soon.

The rescue craft was disguised to resemble one of the local fishing boats and the crew dressed to match. It wasn't the first time Will had captained such a ship and given the fact that Manoso was a good friend, it wouldn't be the last time he'd be asked to 'go fishing'. It would surprise the average U.S. citizen to know how many ways there were to get in and out of Cuba. All it took was having the right connections and a whole lot of money. Connections to get you in and money to get you out. Will checked the tracking unit for the second time and then scoped the horizon again.

"Hello, Manoso," he whispered. "Pesque directamente adelante." _(Fish straight ahead.)_ He called down to Jackson to let him know that he'd spotted their passengers. "Now comes the tricky part," Will said to himself.

Ranger lowered his own night scope. "Close enough." He had already stripped and redressed in a wetsuit; one designed to block body heat from radar detection. He slung the duffle bag of equipment over his shoulder and turned to position his body on the edge of the boat when he noticed that Leon was wearing an identical wetsuit.

"You're not going," said Ranger, turning his full attention to his brother.

"Yes, I am. Tank and I decided that if his last effort to talk some sense into you failed, then I'd be the one to go in with you. Bottom line, you aren't going in there alone." Leon readied himself for a fight.

Ranger swung his body back inside the boat and stood facing his brother.

"If we're going to fight, let's get it over with, we're wasting time."

Ranger swung his fist and water sloshed in over the sides as the boat rocked side to side. Leon ducked and struggled to stay upright. "Didn't anyone teach you not to stand up in a boat?" Leon grinned at Ranger. "Hey, you're lucky I won out with Tank, he wanted to give you knock-out drugs and leave you behind!" Leon used Ranger's momentary anger to grab the boat's fire ax and swung it as hard as he could into the floor of the boat. Salt water started bubbling up to fill the bottom of the boat. "Better hurry or do you want to go down with the ship?" Leon tossed his duffel bag over his shoulder, flashed a grin at the pissed off look on his brother's face and then he entered the water.

Cursing in Spanish and English, Ranger wondered how in the hell he had lost control of the situation. "I'm going to break both of your legs when we get home," he growled at his brother who was bobbing up and down while he treaded water.

Leon watched his brother enter the water without making a splash. Surrounded in total darkness, both men watched while the small boat sank.

Glancing at the small GPS monitor on his wrist, Ranger began to swim in the direction of Will's ship. Leon matched his brother stroke for stroke. "Wanna race?" Leon asked. "Loser buys the new boat!"

"Oh, you're buying the fucking boat," Ranger grumbled.

"Hey, it's not my fault you threw your new wife out of an airplane." Leon was careful to keep his distance, not sure how his brother would take that piece of humor. When Ranger appeared to ignore his remark, Leon felt safe to continue. "Hell man, I didn't even get to kiss the bride."

"Shit, I should have brought Tank with me, at least he's quiet," Ranger muttered.

"Well, that's gratitude for you. Just trying to lighten the mood a little and all you do is bitch. You know, you really should learn how to enjoy life." Neither men sounded winded as they swam and talked.

"I was enjoying my life." Ranger's strokes became more powerful as his anger built.

Leon increased his strokes to stay even with his brother. "Tank mentioned you have a new target design, said I should ask you to show it to me."

oOoOo

After lunch, Stephanie asked if she could take a bath instead of Emilia giving her a sponge bath. Enrique translated and Emilia nodded. Stephanie almost cried when she lowered herself into the warm water. It felt like heaven. Her muscles still ached, but she was getting stronger and her skin no longer glowed in the dark. When she was finished, Emilia massaged her body with aloe ointment. She awoke a few hours later and dressed in the clothes Emilia had given her. The skirt's fabric was bright with color and the blouse was a white peasant's blouse. Both pieces were a little big on her, but being dressed made her feel even better. She slipped her feet into a pair of worn sandals. There was no mirror for her to check her appearance. Who cared; how she looked was not important. Blending in with the locals was, if she wanted to start searching for a way to find her husband.

She went into the kitchen to see if there was anything she could do. Stephanie was surprised by all the activity that greeted her. Manuel, Emilia and Enrique bustled around the kitchen. Emilia stirred the various pots on top of the old stove. Manuel sliced a loaf of bread at one end of the old table while Enrique carried a small stack of mismatched plates and added them to a larger stack at the end.

"What's going on? Why are they preparing so much food?" Stephanie asked.

"People come and pay to eat, a _Paladares." _Enrique searched for the right word in English.

"A restaurant?" Stephanie asked in surprise.

"Si! Res-toe-rant." Enrique smiled with pride. "Tonight, Emilia will serve beef." The young boy rubbed his stomach. "And _tostones_." He closed his eyes and moaned.

Stephanie laughed. Whatever _tostones* _were, she would bet she was going to love them!

oOoOo

Will stayed on deck until he was sure they were back in safe water before he went below to talk to the Manoso brothers. They were waiting for him when he walked into the small makeshift office. Leon was sitting on one of the small bunks hanging off the wall; watching Ranger pace.

"Nice to see you again, Ric." Will said as he lit a long, fat Cuban cigar. "Congratulations on your marriage, but I've got to tell you, my friend, you need to learn how to treat a woman better." Will clamped the cigar between his teeth and stretched a huge grin across his face.

Ranger stopped pacing and glared at his friend. Leon tried hard not to laugh. It really was comical to watch the unrelenting teasing his brother was receiving over this fiasco.

Will removed the cigar from his mouth and began outlining the rescue plan. "I've sent three men into the area where we calculate she would have come ashore. We know for sure that the 'government' hasn't found her, yet, but they are looking for her as well. My guess is that one of the local resistance groups has her hidden."

"How soon will we be ashore?" The tension in Ranger's voice matched the tension in his body.

"Calm down, Ric. We're doing everything possible. You won't be going into the field at first." Ranger opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when Will shot him a glance. "You want my help, you do it my way. If not, both you and the new Mrs. Manoso won't make it out to enjoy that honeymoon you're supposed to be on." Ranger knew Will well enough to accept his words as facts and not as a threat.

Ranger calmed himself. "What's my cover?"

"A visiting professor from South America. You'll be teaching English at the University of Havana." Will handed Ranger a packet of falsified papers. "Gentlemen, I suggest that tonight you get some sleep. Operation Bombshell begins at dawn."

Ranger groaned. Leon collapsed onto the bunk with laughter.

_* Tostones are thick slices of green plantains that are fried then flattened and then fried again. They are served as an appetizer or a side dish._


	8. Chapter 8

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Eight**

They had just finished helping Emilia clean up the kitchen when Manuel ran into the house, panic covering his face. "¡Rápido, oculta! Hay más puerta de ir de searchers a la puerta!" (Quick, hide! More searchers are going door to door!)

Enrique jumped up and tugged Stephanie's hand. "Quick! We must hide!" This time she didn't hesitate, but managed to stuff herself inside the small space with minimum fuss.

For a second time, Stephanie was cramped inside the hidey-hole. Damn, she felt like a piece of refolded origami. Without thinking, she started to open her mouth to complain. Enrique put a finger to his lips and gripped her hand tight, warning her to be quiet.

Stephanie rode through the wave of guilt that flooded her body when she realized how much danger Manuel and Emilia were in for hiding her. Even though Enrique was but a child, she knew he, too, was in danger. Now that she was feeling better, it was getting harder and harder for her to accept the fact that it was necessary for her to hide and not ask questions in order for these kind people not to be hurt. She squeezed Enrique's hand, hoping to let him know that they were in this together.

She and Enrique sat and waited while the conversation rumbled through the walls. The only word she recognized was "no", used several times by Emilia and Manuel. Both she and Enrique were sweating now. Please, oh please, she begged, leave these good people alone.

This time the search took longer, maybe a total of fifteen minutes. At last, she heard the sounds of heavy boots making their way out of the house. After another interminable wait, Manuel opened the cubby door and beckoned them out. She waited while Enrique conversed in rapid Spanish with Emilia and Manuel. His small hands duplicating the frantic hand gestures of the adults during their conversation. Spanish may have been a foreign language to her, but she read body language just fine. They were arguing over something. She had a feeling it was over her.

"What?" Man, woman and child turned to her. "What?" She repeated. Manuel said something to Enrique, Emilia added something else. Enrique nodded, then turned back to Stephanie. "Would anyone besides the government be looking for you?"

Stephanie's eyes lit up. "My husband."

¡"Sí! ¡El que lucha para la libertad"! (Yes, the one who fights for freedom!) Enrique waved his arms in excitement. "El héroe _(The hero)_ himself! He is like the wind. We only feel his presence. He cannot be seen."

Stephanie snorted. Like the wind, huh? She could relate, but how did people who had never met Ranger know? Weird. She understood "el heroe" well enough, but not the other phrase. "Enrique, what does…?" Stephanie struggled to imitate the young boy's words. "… The whatever of libertad mean?"

Enrique's forehead creased with the effort of trying to find the right words. "A man who fights for freedom?"

Stephanie's eyebrow rose. "A freedom fighter?"

"Sí!" Enrique's eye shone with excitement.

Well hell, Stephanie thought. "Enrique, I think you need to explain a few things to me."

oOoOo

Miguel's mood continued to decline. As if being stuck in Cuba wasn't bad enough, the first report coming from his men was worse. No one had seen anything. No one knew anything.

Frustrated, he picked up a vase of flowers and hurled it against the wall. Not even the explosive sound of the vase shattering into a thousand pieces quelled his anger. Never in his life had he had this much trouble. Cubans were not easy to intimidate. They were used to being questioned, and his men were intimidating! Not many would hold up under this level of questioning and scrutiny. Why wasn't it working? Why was it so impossible to find one woman?

He worked to calm himself. He needed to think. They would have to expand the search area. She was there somewhere. It would not be easy for her to hide, an American woman, on her own, no resources available to her. Sooner or later, someone would notice. A sudden thought raced through his mind and he was gripped with fear. Was it possible she knew Ricardo's network? Had she gone to them? Perhaps she wasn't as alone as he'd assumed.

He grabbed his cell phone from the coffee table and stabbed in a number. "Padre."

"Has she been found?"

"No. The first search came up empty. We are expanding the area." He paused, not sure how his words would be received. "It occurred to me that the woman we seek might be aware of my cousin's local network and secured help from them. Do we have a list of names?"

Silence ensued for several moments. "It is possible Señora Manoso has sought out a member of Ricardo's team. We do not have a list, only suspicions; he protects them well." A longer silence followed. "Keep searching." Miguel heard the heavy sigh whisper through the phone. "Call again in twenty-four hours or sooner if she is found. I will make a decision then on our next move if required."

"Sí, padre, we will continue searching the area." Miguel hung up, cursing. Wonderful, another fucking day lost in wonderful fucking paradise. When Stephanie Manoso was found, he now had one more reason to exact his revenge.

oOoOo

"All the comforts of home," Ranger's tone was wry as he gazed around the Spartan room.

Will smiled. "A lot better than most we've been in, and among the best here. Bed, toilet, shower, sink," Will pointed in the direction of each location. "Food is just down the hall. You don't even have to catch it or cook it. Almost like parking your ass in the Ritz."

Ranger shook his head. "You're too good to me."

"Only the best for you, my friend." Will's boom of laughter made the thin walls shake. His laughter died down and his face settled into a semi-humorist expression. "Before we get down to the logistics, I want to hear about the woman who's brought the great Manoso to his knees. She must be something pretty special."

Ranger's eyes grew distant and wistful. "That she is." Pulling his wallet from the duffel, Ranger removed a picture, traced his index fingertip across the image before passing it over to Will who glanced at it and whistled.

"Okay, she's a looker, but there's got to be more to the story. I've seen some of the beauties you've been with and not one of them came close to being honored with a second date, let alone with getting you to stand in front of a preacher. So what else is there?" He passed the picture back to Ranger, who started to put it back in his wallet.

"Hey!" Leon snatched the picture from his brother's hands. "Don't I get to check out my new sister-in-law?" Leon raised an eyebrow. "Whoa! She gets pissed off at you for pushing her out of the plane, I'll be more than happy to spend some time consoling her."

Ranger shot his brother a burning glare. "Trust me, this is just another blip in the life of Stephanie Plum… I mean Stephanie Manoso. She knows I'll do everything possible to find her, that I'll always be there for her."

Leon laughed. "Oh yeah, the Bombshell's famous adventures, or should I say misadventures?"

"Who told you?" Ranger snapped and narrowed his eyes.

"Tank. He couldn't resist." Leon had grown up receiving that look from his brother. After having his nose bloodied twice, he had learned how to dodge, so he just smiled and flipped his eyebrows up and down in amusement.

"Did he also tell you that she always gets her man? Did he tell you that she always stumbles across the missing piece of critical information? Did he tell you that she never gives up?" Ranger's voice had risen with each question.

Leon held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey, down boy. Yeah, he told me that too, but come on, Ric, you've got to admit the stories are pretty funny."

Ranger smiled with reluctance. "Yeah, they are pretty funny. Some of them, you had to be there to believe."

Will had been watching the exchange with interest, a smile playing on the corner of his lips. Damn, he knew there was a whole lot more to Stephanie Manoso than her looks to attract the interest of a man like Ricardo. "So, share already."

Leon laughed. Ranger sighed with resignation, a half smile showing on his face. "First, you have to understand, I'm not making any of this up…"

oOoOo

Stephanie was gawking at Enrique, her mouth hanging open. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Ricardo Manoso?" She found herself really hoping they were. She'd always known Ranger was a hero, but damn…"Ricardo Carlos Manoso?"

"Sí, as sure as is possible. People say he is a soldier with special training. He is younger than my father. I cannot describe him, not many can."

Stephanie sat thinking. On the surface it sounded like Ranger, but damn…

Enrique was doing his best to be helpful. "Manuel says that he has a friend who has seen him. Perhaps if he can be found, he could provide a description." He gave her a hopeful look. "Unless you have a picture?"

Stephanie smiled. "Sorry, Enrique, but I seem to have arrived without my purse." Taking a moment to absorb the information about her new husband, Stephanie shook her head. "So you're telling me that the family was very wealthy?"

Enrique nodded enthusiastically. "Sí, very wealthy. Before he was killed, the father used a lot of the family wealth to fund the underground resistance. After he died, his wife and children escaped to America, but the story says there was still much wealth left. Ricardo Manoso himself has funded the movement with mucho American dollars. He has also come and personally trained many of the resisters."

Stephanie's mind was whirling. Yes, it had to be Ranger. She knew he had money; it was obvious from the clothes, the cars, and the buildings he owned. She was beginning to gain a new appreciation for his 'not entirely legal, but morally right' principles.

Moving that kind of money into Cuba must definitely be on the government's list of things not to do. And even she knew that travel into Cuba from the States was not allowed. To do both placed him a subject to prosecution, but would fall right into his definition of morally right. To her surprise, she found herself in total agreement with Ranger.

Enrique's voice drew her wandering mind back into focus. "So to some in Cuba, you will be treated with great honor as the wife of our hero." The child frowned. "But not by others, especially by the rest of the Manosos…"

Stephanie's eyes grew wide. "The rest of the Manosos? You mean there are still relatives here in Cuba?"

Enrique's head bobbed. "Sí, here, and others in the United States. But they are not like your husband. They are not interested in freedom, they are interested in bad business and big money."

Stephanie drew a deep breath. "Enrique, I think you'd better tell me more…"

oOoOo

Will was laughing so hard; he was bent over and holding his sides. "Aw, man, that's beautiful." He took a few moments, trying to get his laughter under control. "I especially like the one about the Porsche and the garbage truck. Damn, I wish I'd been there to see that."

Leon, who had heard the stories once before, found himself reduced to hysterics. He couldn't wait to meet his new sister-in-law. The woman was priceless.

Ranger chuckled. He knew Stephanie couldn't believe he hadn't been upset with her when she'd destroyed his cars. He hadn't known how to explain that it just endeared her to him that much more. Maybe he was certifiable, but they were just cars. He would have gladly given her a dozen more, but she'd been so mortified, she'd refused to accept another.

The laughter died in his throat and from his eyes when he thought of her, how much he loved her, how much he missed her. While it had been a nice escape to share the stories with Will and Leon, it was now time to get down to the business of finding her and bringing her home. Before someone else, someone like Miguel found her. Ranger drew in a deep breath.

"Playtime's over, gentlemen. Time to get down to business."

oOoOo

Miguel cursed at his phone. Again. He'd lost count of how many times it had rung, each time relaying no news. Nothing. Not a one possible contact, not a single sighting, not even a fucking whisper. If he had not been assured that Ricardo knew her to be alive, he would have given up by now, assumed she drowned and washed out to sea. It simply was not possible for an American woman to disappear in a country where you'd be highly visible. Not without help. He glanced at his watch: only a few hours until he had to check-in. He would be expected to have some news this time or face failure. The sweet taste of revenge flowed over his tongue. He would not fail. He would get the information he needed one way or another. Ricardo and his bride would pay for his cousin's transgressions – both past and present.


	9. Chapter 9

**Dangerous Mergers**

**Chapter Nine**

Stephanie sat shaking her head, still trying to absorb the glowing story Enrique had recited to her. She wasn't sure how much was truth and how much was myth: either way, Ranger had a whole lot of explaining to do. Somehow, he'd forgotten to mention his little jaunts to Cuba and that a whole branch of his family tree hated him. People in Cuba, people who had never met him, seemed to know more about his activities and family than she did. When this was over, they were going to sit down and have a long talk.

If only he had told her about his uncle and cousin! Then again, no one would have guessed she would have ended up in their backyard this soon. Stephanie sighed. Being in Cuba and being separated from Ranger was bad enough. The certainty of having to avoid anyone official was daunting. The possibility of having to avoid a cousin-in-law, especially one she had no visual image of, was frightening. All in all, the whole situation was more than a little overwhelming.

Sitting on the bed in the tiny room, Stephanie tried to shift the direction of her thoughts. She'd been ordered to stay put and out of sight while Emilia fed the patrons of her tiny restaurant. Again, Stephanie realized how much Emilia and Manuel were sacrificing in order to keep her safe. It was obvious they didn't have much, but what they had was clean, neat and well cared for. The thought of them losing the little they had because of her weighed heavy on her mind. Somehow, she and Ranger would have to find a way to make their lives easier, but first, she had to find him.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the bedroom door eased open. She felt her body stiffen in alarm and then relax when she realized it was Enrique who had slipped inside and closed the door behind him without a sound. He turned and put a finger to his lips. He hurried across the room and took her hand and pointed to the closet door. He motioned for her to lower her head so he could whisper in her ear. "Quick, hide. The men who have come for their meals are talking about another search party."

Stephanie barely suppressed a groan. Whispering back, she asked, "Is it the same one from earlier?" Enrique shook his head, eyes wide.

"No. They have remarked that this is the third party in two days. Now hurry." Stephanie rose from the bed and slipped the closet door open. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Enrique motioning for her to hurry, but he was standing back at the door.

"Aren't you coming?" she whispered. The boy shook his head.

"No, I have been seen already by the men who are here. I cannot disappear for such a long of time. Now please, hurry."

Stephanie opened the cubby door and squeezed her way in. While it was a lot roomier by herself, she missed the comforting presence of Enrique. How pathetic was it, she asked herself, that a ten-year-old child could feel like her protector? Maybe it was because he spoke English. Maybe it was because he seemed more mature than any ten-year-old she'd ever met. Hell, he was more mature than most adults she knew! Deep down, she knew why she missed his company, it was because he was what she imagined Ranger must have been like as a child: observant, intelligent, protective, and serious, yet found delight in adventure.

She felt like she had been hiding forever and the temperature of her hiding place became sweltering. She reached up to wipe the sweat from her forehead and made a decision. This was going to be the last time she hid. Now, it was time for action.

oOoOo

Miguel stared at the phone; a snarl twisted his handsome features into a frightening mask. A knock sounded and the door opened before he could respond. A maid stepped through the door, her arms filled with fresh towels. She took one look at Miguel's face and retreated in haste, pulling the door shut behind her.

Miguel barked out a short laugh. Even something as small and petty as frightening a young maid gave him a feeling of power, a feeling he hadn't had since being told by his father that his efforts to blow his cousin and wife out of the sky had failed.

Even with the expanded search, no one had seen or known anything. The closest thing to a tip that his men could come up with was that a ten-year-old boy, Enrique Martinez, had not been seen at his home for a couple of days. Big fucking deal. Supposedly the kid spoke English. Another big fucking deal. Quite a few of the islanders spoke English. Why in the hell would anyone think a kid would interest him? How stupid did his men think he was?

If this was the best his men could come up with, maybe it was time for him to join the search and start applying the ultimate form of persuasion. He'd start killing them one by one.

oOoOo

"First, we change your appearance." Will looked Ranger over with a calculating eye. "Not much we can do about your build other than try to hide it under loose clothing. You're going to have to change the way you walk and stand. You still look military, that's something another soldier would be sure to spot." Will grinned. This was going to be fun. "We'll put some lifts in your shoes to change your height. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll hurt your feet enough to change the way you walk."

Ranger glared at his friend. "Asshole," he muttered under his breath. Will's grin got bigger.

"What's that, Ric? You said 'anything else', right?" He waited a beat for a response, got none. "Looks like you haven't shaved for a few days. That's good. We'll give you a mustache and goatee, maybe a mole," he reached a finger out and touched Ranger's cheek, "right here. Think we'll add a little gray into your hair, too. Your cover identity lists you as forty-two years old, so it fits."

"You really don't expect me to teach, do you?" Ranger was not going to waste one minute validating his cover. He intended to use every second, every resource, and every drop of energy he had to find Stephanie.

"Nope, it's still semester break at the university, but you'd better find your wife in the next week though, before classes begin." Will grinned. "The university isn't aware of your imminent arrival. Damn embarrassing if you show up for work and no one knows a thing about it." Will's enjoyment dissipated when he saw the scowl on Ranger's face. "You know, you really shouldn't be the one doing this if you can't treat it like it's any other mission. Maybe I should put Leon in the field, and you stay here and help coordinate the logistics and …"

Before Will could finish, Ranger was in his face. "No." Both men remained nose to nose, both wearing hard expressions, waiting for the other to blink first.

"Relax you two, no bloodshed among friends." Leon smacked both men on the back, hard, to bring an end to the pissing match.

Will shook his head. "Fine, it's your choice. Just make sure you know what you're doing." He paused and waited for Ranger's nod before he continued, "You're going in as Carlos del Fuesco, visiting professor of English, from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, forty-two, unmarried, and you have been teaching for thirteen years. When you look over your CV, you'll find your earlier history."

"Good choice, I know Buenos Aires well."

"Yeah, I know." Will looked over at Leon. "I wasn't anticipating your brother being here, so we're gonna have to come up with a cover for him, too, if you want him out there with you."

"No," Ranger said.

"Yes," Leon shot back.

The two brothers glowered at each other.

"Ric, I made a promise to Tank. If I have to go out without a cover, then I will and take my chances, but I'll be there." Leon's voice was calm, but his jaw was knotted in anger.

Ranger didn't temper the glare he shot at his brother, but Leon refused to drop his gaze. Ranger sighed. He knew how stubborn Leon could be. He'd do it, with or without the paperwork and identity. "Fine, he goes with me."

Will nodded. "Since you two look so much alike, I think we'll keep you as brothers. Leon is Javier del Fuesco and he gets a ten-day visa, the younger brother who comes along to enjoy a little Cuban vacation. You two are planning to see the sights before Javier goes home and Carlos goes to work." Will pointed at each man as he said his undercover name.

The Manoso brothers nodded. "Okay, by this time tomorrow, we'll have Leon's paperwork done. I'll come up with a disguise for him, and by tomorrow night the two of you will be in Havana. Now, let's get the contact plans in place."

oOoOo

Stephanie was shaking her head. "No, I have no idea who they are. I'd like to think they're my husband's men, but I suppose they could be his cousin's." How did you tell a ten-year-old that you had no idea what your husband was up to, what he'd been up to in the past, or that you didn't know who might work with him? And how did you say that without swearing?

"They are the first to have mentioned your description, so they know who they are looking for." Enrique frowned. "You are correct. They could have been sent from either side of the Manoso family."

Stephanie looked at the three anxious faces staring at her. This was as good a time as any to announce her decision. "Look, Enrique, I know I'm putting all of you in danger by staying here. The chances are good that each of the search teams will be back. I think it's time I leave. I just need some help in figuring out where to go and how to get there."

Enrique beamed at her. "Where is easy. You must go to Havana, to Guantanamo. That is American soil; you will be safe there. The how is more difficult." He switched to rapid Spanish, addressing Manuel. The two conversed for several minutes, and Stephanie understood nothing other than 'sí' and 'no'. Just when she'd reached her peak of frustration, the conversation stopped.

Enrique turned back to her. "Manuel has some ideas, but wants to speak with my father first. He will come tonight, and together they will devise a plan for you to reach Guantanamo." His little face was serious and sad, but the light of excitement glittered behind his eyes.

"What's wrong, Enrique?"

The boy shook his head. "It is nothing. Tonight, a plan will be formulated for you to reach freedom, and tomorrow you will be on your way. I don't believe they will allow me to go along because I am a child. I will miss you."

Stephanie's eyes filled with tears and she reached out to hug the small boy. "You've been a wonderful friend, but you'll be safer without me."

Why did those words sound so familiar?


	10. Chapter 10

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Ten**

The chilled evening air raised the hairs on Stephanie's bare arms. She wasn't sure if it was due to not being out in the open for the past few days or if it was adrenaline. Noticing her slight shiver, Enrique pulled a blanket from under the front seat of the wagon and handed it to her. She smiled her thanks, accepted the rough piece of hand-woven cloth and wrapped it around her shoulders. Grateful for the warmth, Stephanie pulled the wrap tight around her arms. Strange. Five days ago, she was a single woman. Four days ago, she was a bride. Three days ago she had become a refugee with a miniaturized version of her husband acting as her translator and guide through an unfamiliar and hostile country.

She looked at Enrique's smiling face and opened the blanket with one arm, inviting the child to join her. He smiled and shook his head no. She had been instructed not to speak under any circumstances. That was one promise she planned to follow no matter how hard it would be for her to keep her mouth shut. Enrique settled in close next to her. His father had agreed, with great reservation, that the boy's ability to speak English would be beneficial to Manuel and Stephanie as they made their way to Guantanamo.

In the weakening light of evening, she stared through a gap in the floorboards at the unpaved road passing slow and steady beneath them and tried to calm her nerves. Soon, the mesmerizing visual and the gentle rocking of the horse drawn wagon caused her eyes to droop and her thoughts to meander. Ranger's safety was the first thought to enter her mind, followed by the last time they had made love. It had been slow and gentle and full of love. That thought brought a smothered sigh from her.

"Don't worry, Babe. You will be with him soon." Stephanie smiled at the boy's enjoyment at using the name she had decided would be safe and easy for him and the others to refer to her by. "We will get you to him."

She felt a tear slip down her cheek. She slipped one of her arms outside of the blanket and hugged his slim body and kissed the top of his head.

oOoOo

Leon juggled two bottles of water and an armload of towels as he opened the door to the room he was sharing with Ranger. He was surprised at the sight before him. Ranger stood with his back to the door, shirtless, staring out the window. He noticed the slight movement of the chain draped over his brother's neck. Some habits never die he thought; in times of stress, his brother had always played with the small cross their mother had given them to wear for protection. Dropping the items down on one of the beds, Leon waited a moment before he spoke. "She's okay, man. She's a Manoso and we Manosos always manage to survive."

Ranger turned to face his brother. "She's a new Manoso and you're wrong." Pausing the time it took him to blink, he then added, "Our father didn't survive."

Leon crossed the room to stand next to his brother. "True, but his spirit lives on through us."

"She is my heart and soul," Ranger said as he turned his attention back to the window, his words soft with feeling. "I love her."

Not able to find words to match his brother's declaration, Leon reached out and rested his hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed it in silent support.

oOoOo

Manuel called to the horse in a gentle voice and the wagon rolled to a leisurely stop. Stephanie was slow to wake when her body ceased to sway back and forth. She raised her head and managed to keep the questions she had to herself. Where were they? Why had they stopped?

"Cover your hair," Enrique whispered and then helped her pull he shawl over her head. "Lower your eyes." Stephanie had seen enough of Enrique's world in the last two days to know better than to delay in carrying out his instructions. Do first, ask why later was definitely the Cuban way.

Enrique folded his small body in half by drawing up his knees to his chest, then wrapping his arms around his knees and tucking his head down between his elbows. Stephanie realized he was pretending to be asleep and mimicked his pose, except for lowering her head. Instead, she relaxed her neck and shoulders, allowing her head to wilt to one side.

The silence and the stillness of the wagon fell heavy around the two passengers huddled together behind the driver of the wagon. The temptation to raise her head and look around was almost too strong to resist.

"¿El nombre?" _(Names?)_ A stern, loud voice asked from the side of the wagon.

"Emanuel Martinez y mi esposa y el hijo." _(__Emanuel Martinez, my wife and my son.)_ Manuel lied. The wagon swayed when he shifted in his seat to nod sideways to indicate that the woman and the boy were his wife and son.

"¿Qué edad tiene el niño?" _(__How old is the child?)_ The soldier reached over the edge of the wagon and pulled Enrique's head up by his hair.

"Diego es 8." _(Diego is 8 years old.)_ Manuel was quick to answer with another lie. He wasn't sure what was causing the man's interest in Enrique. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to give any correct information about the child.

The man released his grip on Enrique's hair and turned his attention to Stephanie. Keeping her eyes lowered and the shawl pulled tight around her hair, she held her breath, worried that she would do something to cause her two friends to suffer. The soldier placed his hand under her chin, but before he could raise her face, his friends called to him from the side of the road. The man shouted a quick answer in their direction; his hand released her chin but continued to slide it down her neck to her chest where it flexed over the softness of her breast and squeezed it hard. Stephanie flinched and had to bite her lip to keep from lashing out at him. The man smiled and then pinched her nipple before he released his hold. Still smiling, he whispered something in her ear and then laughed as he stepped away from the wagon and turned to join the others.

Sensing that Stephanie had reached the end of her control, Manuel placed one hand on her shoulder and flicked the reins with the other. Stephanie followed the man's silent plea but stole a glance at her offender. She drew in a deep breath to calm the anger that was welling up inside of her. Somehow, someway, that bastard would pay. And not just because of what he'd done to her, but for all the other women who had undoubtedly been humiliated by his hand. She reached up and patted the older man's hand that still rested on her shoulder. Her anger had subsided, but her resolve hadn't.

oOoOo

For the past fifteen minutes, Tank and Lopez had been staring at each other. Lopez was good, but Tank felt confident with his staring abilities; hell, the only person he couldn't beat at this game was Ric. Tank narrowed his eyes just a fraction in an attempt to bring their little contest to an end. When Lopez blinked, Tank smiled. Yes! Still undefeated.

"Ready to get down to business?" Tank asked the detective.

Still fuming at the way Tank had duped him and Miller with the knockout drops, Lopez waited another couple of minutes before he answered. "What business?"

"I'm going crazy sitting around here doing nothing, so I thought maybe the two of us could start digging around in some of Miguel's favorite haunts in Little Havana, see what we can come up with."

Lopez nodded his agreement. "Too bad Miller had to go back to Vegas. I was just getting to like the guy."

"Your family from Cuba?" Tank asked Lopez, even though he already knew the answer.

"Yes, second generation American," Lopez replied with pride.

"Any family still there?" Tank queried.

"Not much. Grandmother and some cousins," Lopez answered. "My grandfather and two uncles were killed fighting alongside your friend's father."

Tank observed Detective Lopez for a few beats before stepping close enough to clap him on the back. "Feel like having some lunch? I know where we can find the best beans and rice in Miami."

"You're buying," Lopez said as the two men left the building and walked out into the bright sunlight. "And after the little stunt you pulled on me last night, you're going to throw in a nice cigar, too."

Tank's laughter was sudden and rocked his whole body. "You're on, man."

oOoOo

Miguel steered the large bulky automobile through the narrow streets of downtown Havana. Just another reminder of why he hated life here. The streets looked like they had been caught in an automobile time warp from the '60s. He wished the women here could see the sleek, fast and modern sports car that he drove when he was in the United States; all of them would be willing to give him favors. Smiling, he emitted what sounded like a dry chuckle behind his sneering smile. He was lucky that his name got him all the favors he wanted both from the women and the men. At least here, his name alone would get him most anything he wanted, anything but the location of his cousin's new wife.

He parked the car in front of the hotel he was staying at and slammed the door; Miguel's face lost the smile it had been wearing. He needed to find the new Mrs. Manoso soon or he, too, would be forced to hide from the soldiers. He hoped that his involvement in tomorrow's search would prove how serious he was about locating the woman. Then again, if they came up empty, it could deepen his troubles with his father.

With his next thought, the smile returned to his face, if they were lucky enough to find her then he would be there to start questioning her immediately. And after he and one of the other commanders were finished with her, it would be his turn to question her in private. Oh yes, he was going to enjoy _questioning_ her for a long, long time. He grabbed his crotch and gave it a shake, not caring that he was in public. There was no one here to fear, he was a Manoso!


	11. Chapter 11

**Dangerous Mergers**

**Chapter Eleven**

The jostling rhythm of the wagon and the soft steady plodding of the mule's hoofs along the dirt road had lulled Stephanie to sleep with her back braced against the front wall of the wagon bed, her knees pulled up and one arm on top of them to form a substitute pillow for her head, her other arm was wrapped around Enrique who was snuggled tight against her. She raised her head to look around and flinched when a sharp jab of pain raced up her neck. Every part of her body was stiff.

The last remnants of the night were being chased from the sky by the glow of a new day when the wagon stopped in front of a small house. Stephanie gave Enrique a soft shake to wake him, and then took a better look around. The small village looked similar to the one where she had washed ashore.

"Why did we stop?" Stephanie whispered to Enrique. She was puzzled; she had assumed they wouldn't stop their travels until they reached Guantanamo.

Enrique's answer was so quiet; she had to bend her head closer to hear it. "It is only safe to travel at night. Less people to see and ask questions. We will stay here at the home of one of my father's friends, also a resistance fighter. There is also a possibility that the man who has met your husband will visit before we start out again tonight."

Although excited at the prospect of another link to Ranger, she was also worried. "Enrique, how many more people am I going to put at risk? I'm feeling very uncomfortable about this."

Enrique smiled, the smile of a man, not a boy. In that instant, Stephanie understood without a doubt what life was like for some of the people trapped in Cuba. "Babe," Enrique whispered. "These are people who must hide their beliefs and activities from the eyes of the government and their neighbors. Every day. They are good at what they do, but they are always at risk. It is the only freedom we have to choose. Their sheltering you places them at no greater risk than is usual, but it bestows a great honor upon them to have the esposa of el hero under their roof."

Manuel growled a few hushed words to Enrique in Spanish then reached for Stephanie's hand to assist her from the wagon. She wasn't sure who looked worse: her or Manuel. He really needed some rest. "He says we must move fast to get you inside before the neighbors awake and become curious." Stephanie clamped the blanket over her head and accepted Manuel's offered hand. She groaned at the stiffness in her legs when her feet touched the ground. She kept her head bent and despite her stiff legs, hustled into the small house. There were times in life to ask questions, but this was not one of them. Any form of conversation would only take up valuable time and place them all at still greater risk.

A short man with thick muscles opened the door for them and ushered them inside. He was careful to scan the area outside before he closed the door. He turned and nodded first in Manuel's direction and then Enrique's. Stephanie stood to one side in silence while they exchanged greetings. Her ears perked up when she heard the words 'esposa' _(wife)_, 'el heroe' _(hero)_, and 'Manoso' being spoken. The stocky man turned to embrace her, then lifted her hand to his lips.

"Bienvenido. Es un gran honor tenerte en mi casa. Me comprometo a defender hasta la muerte, si es necesario, y hacer todo lo posible para ayudarle a encontrar a su marido."

Stephanie turned her puzzled face to Enrique. "What did he say?"

Enrique's face was solemn as he translated: "Juan has welcomed you to his home, and made a pledge to defend you even if it means his death and to do all he can to help you find your husband."

Stunned and touched beyond words, Stephanie dragged one of those few Spanish words she knew from trembling lips. "Gracias, Señor."

"De nada. Es mi honor." _(You're welcome. It is my honor.)_ Stephanie needed no translation, the meaning was clear.

Juan hustled them into the kitchen and indicated they should sit. When they were seated, he brought mugs of steaming rich black coffee to the table and joined them. Stephanie carefully downed her first sip and couldn't hold back the moan that escaped from her lips. It was the best coffee she'd ever tasted. She looked up when she realized the conversation around the table had ceased. Three sets of eyes were riveted on her, all wide with astonishment. She felt the flush creep up her face and down her neck. "Sorry," she mumbled. The men grinned, while Enrique continued to look incredulous.

"I do not understand why you do that?" He asked with childlike wonder. "It's only coffee, not tostones!"

Manuel and Juan resumed their talk, Enrique translating every few sentences. The gist of the conversation was that the three of them would sleep while Juan constructed the next leg of their journey and arranged another secure place for them to stay tomorrow. Stephanie lost herself in aimless daydreams until Enrique's words drew her attention back in sharp focus.

"Juan says the man who has met your husband will be here no later than seven o'clock tonight. You will have time to speak with him before we leave."

"Please thank Juan for me and that I'm looking forward to meeting the gentleman. What's his name?"

"Carlos Abrahan Manoso."

Really? Stephanie raised an eyebrow. This was going to be very interesting, she thought. Maybe they'd even have a little time for a family history lesson. Wouldn't Ranger be surprised?

oOoOo

Miguel's stomach was churning with stress and anger. Anger, because he wasn't used to not getting what he wanted. Stress, because he knew his father would not be pleased at the lack of progress. His cousin Ricardo had been an irritant for as long as Miguel could remember. It was beginning to look as if he'd married a woman with the same unfortunate trait.

With a deep sigh, Miguel stabbed the appropriate numbers into the phone, his blood pressure rising with each ring.

"Hello."

"Padre, it's Miguel."

"Ah, good. You have progress to report?"

Miguel's stomach clenched tighter, his frustration evident in his voice. "No. I have nothing to report, nothing, not a goddamn single thing. Either everyone on this fucking island is stupid or blind or both."

The phone remained silent just long enough to alert Miguel that he'd just made a huge mistake in speaking as he had to his father. "Your lack of patience and temper will not serve you well, Miguel. Do you wish to be dispatched home in disgrace, a failure?"

Miguel drew a deep breath, counted to ten then drew in another. "Forgive me, padre, I haven't had much sleep."

"Nor do you deserve to until your job is complete. What is your next step?"

Miguel cringed and his jaw grew tight. Although this was just a telephone line, he was sure his father was aware of his tension. "I do not have a next step to take. We cannot find any trace of her; the police have been unable to find any trace of her. Either Ricardo was wrong and she is dead, or she is being very well hidden."

"Ricardo was not wrong." Just the way his father said it made Miguel hate his cousin more. No, Ricardo was not wrong. Ricardo was never wrong. Ricardo was the epitome of being right. Ricardo knew how to do his job. Fucker. Although his father had not said the words, Miguel heard them ringing in his head just as clearly as if they'd been said aloud. The only bad thing about Ricardo, in his father's opinion, was that he was on the wrong side of the family business. And for that Miguel would extract another level of revenge.

"I need the names of the people suspected to be in his network. Someone is hiding her and knowing who they are is our only hope of finding her."

This time it was his father's turn to sigh. "We cannot alert the government as to who these people are. Can you manage to do surveillance on them without attracting attention? Without it getting to official ears?"

Miguel was puzzled. "Sure, but why do we give a shit if they are uncovered? I would think that would be a good thing, less opposition to worry about."

"Miguel, Miguel," his father's tone of voice was really saying 'tsk, tsk' as if he were a dense child. Damn, he hated Ricardo, always making him feel inferior. "It is better to know your enemy than not to know him. It is even better to protect the names of your enemies for times like these. We must keep the network intact."

Whatever, he thought. "Yes, padre. I did not think of that."

His father's voice sounded sad and resigned. "I know, Miguel, thinking ahead does not occurr to you."

Miguel stiffened. His father's opinion of him would change when he brought Ricardo's bride to him. So would Ricardo's.

oOoOo

Leon couldn't help but laugh, "My brother, the professorial geek."

Despite the disguise, the menace emanated off Ranger in waves. "Fuck you, Leon."

Will joined in the laughter. "Hey, man, he's got a point. That's the closest I've ever seen you looking… ordinary. No one will spare you a passing glance. This is a first, to the best of my recollection. It calls for a drink."

Ranger glared at his friend. "If the disguise weren't so good, I'd whip your ass. As for you," Ranger turned back to Leon, "just remember, tomorrow you will become my equally unremarkable brother."

"Okay, boys, play nice and listen up." Although Will was enjoying the banter, it was time to get down to business. "Ric, we'll smuggle you into the airport so you can walk out like all the other tourists and there will be one of my guys picking you up in a cap then drop you off at the hotel. Hit the streets; let people get their first look at you." He handed Ranger a picture of the guy playing the cabdriver. "Quit messing with your mole!"

"It itches!" Ranger continued to pick at the hard piece of plastic.

"That's because I put itching powder under it," Will kept his eyes away from Ranger's view and winked at Leon.

"You did what?" Ranger yelled.

Leon's shoulders started to shake with laughter.

"Okay, let's get back to business. Reservations have been made under your new name; your passport is in order, complete with the arrival stamp from the airport. Pick someplace casual to have dinner then secure yourself inside the hotel, make it an early night." Will waited to make sure his friend was getting his meaning. When Ranger avoided looking at him, Will sighed. "You skip out on me and I'll hunt you down, my friend. And you know, not only can I see the wind, but I can shoot it too."

Will turned to Leon. "Tomorrow we repeat the process with you. Ric will do a city tour tomorrow and make a stop at the university for a look around. By the time he gets back, you'll be arriving. Both of you should enjoy dinner and visit one of the dance clubs tomorrow night, then you can set off on your countryside tour early the next morning."

He stopped to retrieve some papers that had been shoved to the side on his makeshift desk. "I know I don't need to tell either of you this, but assume your rooms are bugged. The car will be safe, but it's better not to chance it. I wish we could send some debugging equipment along with you, but if you're stopped you don't want to have anything more suspicious on you than a Spanish-English dictionary. How you meet up with your contacts is up to you, I don't want to know anything. But the minute, the second, you locate Stephanie; you call the number I gave you. Don't try to do it alone."

Will stopped and stared at Ranger, his eyes intense. "You understand me, Ric?" This time, Ranger nodded. Satisfied, Will nodded back. "Okay. Here's a map of the country, I've already marked the area we were able to trace her to before her tracker went dead. Oh yeah, and here's the paperwork for your transportation." He handed both over to Ranger.

Scanning the paperwork, Ranger frowned. "Tell me this is a joke and that you're a clown in your spare time."

Will's brow shot up and he grinned. "Always wanted to be a clown. It would be a nice balance to what I'm forced to do for a living, but I'm afraid it's no joke, unless you want to consider it a small private one."

Leon was trying to read over his brother's shoulder. "What's so funny?"

"This." Ranger thrust the paperwork over his shoulder, his eyes still locked on Will. Leon gave the papers a quick scan, "What? I don't get it."

"Your new sister-in-law has been known to drive the same car on occasion." Will started laughing.

Leon looked at his brother and then back at Will, a mischiefious smile breaking out on his face. "Gotta love your style, Will. This is perfect. Stephanie will see this car coming a mile away." He joined in the laughter.

"I can't believe you found Big Blue's cousin," Ranger groaned. "She'll run the other way if she gets a look at it."


	12. Chapter 12

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter 12**

Julio Manoso sat alone on the loggia outside of his bedroom and watched while the young woman placed the breakfast tray down on the small table. The soft ocean breeze that always greeted him in the morning would soon be replaced by the heat and humidity of the day. She started to back away from the table when the old man caught her with his steady gaze. She lowered her eyes as a hope of escape, but Julio reached out and took hold of her wrist and then drew her closer. He ran his weathered hand up and down her arm, enjoying the soft, supple feel of her youthful skin.

"¿Cómo te llamas?" _(What is your name?)_ Julio's cultured voice was low and soothing.

"Sonia," the young girl's voice trembled.

He tightened his grip on her forearm and edged her closer until her thighs touched the arm of his chair. His hand traveled down until it rested on one of her slim hips; his outstretched thumb moved in a back and forth motion across her taut abdomen. Her trembles became more pronounced with every stroke. Julio smiled. He would take great pleasure in robbing her of her virginity, a true feat for a man his age! He slid his hand from her stomach to her backside and squeezed. What he wouldn't give to be this young and firm again! He used his hold to guide her around the arm of his chair until she was forced to sit on his lap, one small butt cheek resting against his groin.

Without hesitation or worry, Julio covered one of her breasts with his hand. He enjoyed the opposing reactions of the girl's young body: she shook with fear, yet her nipples tightened to hard points when he brushed them with his fingertips. He smiled when he felt his own body start to react and his erection grew stronger.

Sonia closed her eyes, hoping to blot out the reality of what was happening. She'd heard the other maids' whispers about how this man destroyed women. She was paralyzed by fear, but her reaction to his touch terrified her even more. Why did her skin feel fevered and her stomach tight? When his cell phone rang, she screamed and jumped from his grasp and wasted no time in making her escape.

"What?" Julio snarled into the phone. "When?" His full attention was now given to the caller.

"Excellent," Julio smiled up into the bright morning sky. "I will be there no later than seven o'clock tonight." Still smiling, he disconnected the call. At last, someone had talked.

oOoOo

Stephanie paced as far as the confines of the small kitchen would allow. Every now and then, she would steal a quick glance out the window. She would give anything to be able to step outside and enjoy the sunshine, but she knew that doing so would endanger all the brave people who were trying to help her get to safety. And Ranger.

She worried her thumb over her wedding band and forced herself not to cry. Now was not the time for tears, but for strength and determination.

"Senora?" Stephanie blinked away her thoughts and looked into a pair of tired eyes that were surrounded by heavy wrinkles. Manuel waved his hand in the direction of the table where he had spread out a map.

She joined him and placed one of her hands down on the curling edge of the map. It was hand drawn, but well detailed. Thanks to her Geography teacher, she recognized that it was a map of Cuba. Manuel pointed to a small circle that had been darkened by a pencil.

"Aquí," he said and pointed to the floor.

"Here," Stephanie said. Manuel smiled and nodded.

He trailed his finger from the dark circle along the coastline to a large 'X'. Well hell, everyone knew what that meant; 'X' marked the spot.

"Havana?" Stephanie said and pointed to the 'X'.

"Sí!" Manuel nodded with excitement.

Stephanie looked back down at the map. She studied the other details that had been drawn between the dark circle and the 'X'. For the first time in the last few days, she felt hopeful. According to the map, reaching Havana didn't look like it was going to be all that hard. Maybe this whole nightmare would soon be over.

"Guantanamo," Manuel said and pointed to a larger circle located on the other end of the island.

Stephanie blew out an exasperated sigh. Shit, now that was a problem.

oOoOo

Ranger grimaced with disdain as he angled himself inside the cloned version of Big Blue. The minute he had her home safe, he was going to buy her as many cars as needed just so he'd never had to see the stateside version of this cumbersome piece of metal again. Hell, he might just buy the thing from her grandmother and have it blown up!

Will popped his head inside the open window on the passenger side. "Make sure you take good care of our Blueberry Tank, although I have to tell you, nothing ever seems to happen to this car." Will patted his hand on the bottom of the window frame. "You look good behind the wheel, my friend." Snorting with laughter, Will stepped away from the car after knocking twice on the hood.

Ranger shifted the car into gear and pressed the gas pedal down hard and quick, knowing the tires would throw road dust into the air when he pulled away. He glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at the sight of Will holding up his middle finger.

oOoOo

The informer debated the danger of double-crossing Julio Manoso. What the hell, life was a gamble anyway, he thought and punched in another string of numbers and waited for the call to be answered on the other end.

"What?" The man grinned when he heard Miguel's weak imitation of his father's forceful greeting.

"I have information on the woman you're looking for," the man said.

"How much will it cost me?" Miguel asked. When the man on the other end quoted his price, Miguel's jaw tightened. "Agreed. Tell me what you know." Miguel's jaw tightened even more. "Anything else?"

"You will need to hurry if you plan on beating your father there. He plans to arrive before seven o'clock tonight."

Miguel took a moment to enjoy the look he imagined on his father's face when he found out that his son had found the woman first. "Excellent, your payment will be made as usual."

oOoOo

The afternoon hours seemed to be longer than the never-ending morning hours. Stephanie could not remember any other time in her life when she had been this bored. Even sleeping hadn't relieved her boredom. Would seven o'clock ever arrive? She started pacing again and tried to block out the rapid conversation Manuel and Juan were having at the kitchen table. Enrique had told her that they were planning the safest way for them to reach Havana. When she had asked why they needed to go there instead of continuing on to Guantanamo, Enrique had explained that cars and gasoline were a luxury not many people could afford, and that Havana was the closest city where they could borrow one to make the long journey to Guantanamo. She had laughed as she thought about the few cars she had seen; Cuba must be car heaven for anything that was big and ugly, like Big Blue. She shuddered at the thought.

"Senora Manoso!" Enrique was still knocking on the door to the bedroom she was using while he entered the room, his face flushed with excitement. "A Manoso is here and he is driving a big expensive car!" Enrique pulled on her hand. "Hurry!"

"Where is he?" The hairs on the back of her neck were standing at attention.

"He is outside talking to Juan." Enrique's excitement faded as Stephanie hesitated. "Why do you wait?"

Shit, somewhere in the back of her mind, she could hear Ranger warning her to be careful. Why was the man so early? Why was Juan talking to him outside? She crossed the room and stood back from the small window that faced out to the front yard. She held her breath as she risked a peek outside. The two men were standing next to the car; the visitor had his back to the window. He was taller than Juan and dressed in a black suit, his dark hair hung to his shoulders. Well, at least he was dressed like a Manoso, but was he the right Manoso? She watched when Juan shook his head from side to side and pointed down the road away from the house.

Something wasn't right. She tensed when she saw the stranger reach behind his back, but the man pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. She watched Juan's face go blank and he shock his head no. The man reached around to replace his wallet and pulled a gun from his waistband, raised it to Juan's head and pulled the trigger. "Oh shit, that man just killed Juan!"

Not wasting a heartbeat, Enrique yanked on Stephanie's arm until she had no choice but to follow him. Her worst nightmare had just come true in front of her eyes; someone had been killed because they were helping her.

"Here, put this back over your head." Stephanie took the shawl and covered her head. The child seemed familiar with the routine of instant flight.

Enrique pulled one of the pillows from the bed and started shoving it up under her skirt. "What are you doing?" Stephanie yelled as she tried to reclaim her skirt from the child's hands.

"El bebé." _(Baby)_ Enrique pulled Stephanie's skirt back down over the pillow and patted the mound into shape. "Follow me," he led her toward the back door.

Manuel came running around the side of the house and almost collided with them. Enrique spewed a fast stream of Spanish at Manuel and then ran to the opposite corner of the house and knelt down to peer around the edge of the house. He jumped up and waved for them to follow him.

Together, the three hurried toward the front of the house. Stephanie felt Manuel's hesitation when he saw his friend's body lying lifeless on the ground. Without thinking, she grabbed Enrique and Manuel and began to run toward the abandoned car. The owner was probably inside searching the house and this would be their only chance. She opened the passenger door and shoved Enrique into the backseat then dove across the massive bench seat and prayed she'd find keys in the ignition. Manuel climbed in and slammed the door.

Stephanie raised her eyes upward and said a quick _thanks_ when she found the keys still in the ignition. She started the car, dropped it in gear and smashed the gas pedal to the floor, raising a large cloud of dust behind her. She chanced a quick glance into the rearview mirror and saw the man who had killed Juan running out of the front door. She pressed down even harder on the gas pedal and soon the man disappeared from sight.

Five miles later, she pulled in a deep breath and tried to calm down. She glanced at both of her passengers. Manuel was staring at her with wide frightened eyes; Enrique was smiling from ear to ear, eyes shining with adventure.

"Great," Stephanie mumbled, "wait till my mother hears about this; not only am I a car thief, but a ten-year-old seems to have made me pregnant."


	13. Chapter 13

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Abrahan." Abrahan answered his cell phone and then listened to the voice on the other end. "No, not here. The other place." He wasn't sure if his calls were monitored, but that was no reason to be careless and name names and places when it wasn't necessary. He listened for a moment longer, then disconnected without saying another word.

Pulling his car to the side of the road, Abrahan sat lost in thoughts. Juan was dead, shot down by someone fitting Miguel's description. Manuel was on the run, along with the young boy and the woman who claimed to be Ricardo's wife.

Abrahan snorted. From the description of the woman, it was not his ex-wife. If it had been Maria, no one would have been willing to help her. So, it must be a new wife. But why had he not heard word of this alleged marriage? The thought of Ricardo remarrying without him being informed was hard to believe. The idea of the new wife being here, in Cuba, was beyond his imagination.

Abrahan put the car back in gear and turned it in the direction he had just traveled, back to Bauta, a town close to Havana. They would meet in less than two hours, and Abrahan would have his answers.

oOoOo

Ranger looked around the room. It wasn't exactly first class, but it was appropriate for the budget of a professor. Leon would be staying in the room next door. Until then, Ranger planned to take a drive out of the city. He needed to make contact with Abrahan, and using the phones here would be the same as taking out a newspaper advertisement.

Ranger was finding it hard to stay put in the hotel. His level of worry rose higher with each passing minute that he wasn't out searching for Stephanie. He decided that now was a good time to act like any other traveler: he picked up the phone and asked for room service, he'd order some lunch and unpack, then set out to find Abrahan. By the time the food arrived, he had unpacked the few things he'd brought and was studying one of the maps Will had given him.

The young hotel waiter noticed the map as he placed the food on the small table, just like Ranger had intended. "Are you planning some sightseeing?"

"Sí. I just arrived from Buenos Aires. Any recommendations on where I should go?"

They chatted for a few minutes, the young man named the usual places and a few places that were not on the tourist must-see-list. Ranger smiled and gave the young man a healthy tip.

"Gracias!" The young man smiled back. "Let me know if I can be of any more help."

"De nada, you've been very helpful." Ranger smiled and tipped his head. The young man had no idea how helpful he had been without knowing it.

One of the young man's recommendations had been the city of Los Palacios and to get there, Ranger would have to go straight through Bauta and that was where he would find Abrahan.

oOoOo

Abrahan watched in silence from behind the blinds. He checked his watch, again. They should be here any time now and he still had no idea what he was going to do.

He'd tried, without success, over the space of the last few hours to verify this alleged marriage of Ricardo's. He couldn't raise anyone, not Tank, not Leon, and not Ricardo. His train of thought came to an abrupt end when a pair of car headlights appeared through the blinds, sending sharp slants of light into the dark room.

Abrahan waited, his gun at his side, and raised one slat in the blinds a fraction to watch Manuel, a small boy, and a woman get out of the car. It was the woman who held his interest. Dressed in a traditional skirt and blouse with a shawl thrown over her head, she could pass for a Cuban at first glance, yet she had driven the car. He paid close attention to the way she carried herself, the way she glanced from side to side. She was not Cuban, but that's all he knew for certain about her so far.

Abrahan heard the side door of the small garage open and shut. He remained in the office, his eyes still watchful through the slat. No one followed them and he saw no one in the area.

When the office door to the garage clicked open, he turned and found himself face to face with one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. He could tell she was hesitant when her eyes skittered around the room in search of trouble. Before either he or the woman could speak, Manuel pushed his way through the entrance.

"¡Juan ha sido asesinado, y no tengo los contactos para obtener la nueva esposa de tu primo a Guantánamo." (_Juan has been murdered, and I do not have the contacts to get your cousin's new wife to Guantanamo.)_

"Reduzca la velocidad, y me dicen toda la historia." (_Slow down, and tell me the whole story.)_

Abrahan sat behind the desk, Manuel in front. He waved the boy and the woman to a small couch that sat against the side of a wall. After a brief glance out the window, he directed to Manuel, "Comienza." _(start)_

Manuel broke out into a long string of excited Spanish, waving his hands in the air for emphasis. Abrahan interrupted now and then with a question, and then Manuel's narrative would begin anew. Stephanie found her head swiveling so fast, she felt as if she were watching a tennis match.

When Manuel ran out of the words, the room fell quiet and Stephanie felt dazed. "Point, set and match," she murmured softly.

"Que?" She looked down into Enrique's confused eyes.

Shaking her head, she said, "Not important. What was that all about?"

"He was explaining to your cousin what had happened to you and who you are."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "And?" Somehow she knew all those sharp questions and excited explanations went a little further.

Enrique looked abashed. "And Señor Manoso doesn't believe that you are who you say. He says his cousin Ricardo would never remarry."

Stephanie was exhausted, hungry, and scared. She'd allowed good, decent people to put themselves at risk to help her, and tonight she'd witnessed one man kill another all because of her. Enough was enough. She stood and walked across the room. The man stood as she approached him.

"Do you understand English?" She spat the words at him and placed her fists on her hips. He nodded, curious to see what she had to say.

"Listen asshole! I don't know who you think you are, but I'm Stephanie Manoso, Ricardo Carlos Manoso's wife. We were married four days ago in Las Vegas. You'd better be very sure I'm not his wife, because when Ranger hears how you refused to help us, he's not going to be a happy man."

With each word, her voice grew a little louder. Her tirade ended with two sharp jabs of her finger into his chest when she said the words 'happy man'. Abrahan raised his hand and removed her finger from where it was still embedded in his chest and stared at her.

"Ranger?"

Stephanie blushed. "Yeah, well that's how he introduced himself when I first met him and it's kind of stuck."

Abrahan smiled his first smile since hearing about the woman.

"That's the first bit of proof that at least you know him. No one here knows he uses that name. If you can answer one more question for me, I'll believe you are who you say."

"Okay," her lips said the word, but her brain screamed _oh, shit_!

Abrahan leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Does Ricardo have any children, and if so, the names?"

Stephanie almost fainted in relief. She whispered the answer back. Abrahan broke into a huge grin, and then enfolded her into his arms. "Welcome, cousin."

Stephanie grinned back, but was curious. "How do you know I'm not just Ranger's friend or something?"

Abrahan's grin grew wider. "Because he doesn't share that information with women! He vowed only to share that secret with a woman if he planned to marry her."

Well, damn. And Ranger had told her almost two years ago. That sneaky devil had some more stuff to explain.

oOoOo

"Ricardo, relax. She only left a little over an hour ago and I know where they're headed."

"I can't relax. I'm going crazy with worry, and to have missed her by so little…" Ranger broke off, his hands scrubbing across his face.

"Relax. She was tired and hungry. By the time we get there, she'll have dined, and can sleep in your car for the journey back."

Ranger smiled, "Tired and hungry. Yeah, that sounds about right."

"And feisty too, cousin." Abrahan relayed the scene of Stephanie chewing him out, complete with finger poking. "That was my first suspicion that she just might really be your wife." When Ranger raised his eyebrow, Abrahan laughed. "Can't imagine you with some little mouse of a woman."

Ranger couldn't help but laugh. "No, that isn't Steph at all."

Abrahan was surprised at his cousin's sudden outburst of laughter. Ricardo was always so serious. "I liked her, Ricardo; I really liked her. Will she be working with us in the future?"

"Oh, shit," Ranger almost looked panicked. Almost, but not quite. "She doesn't know anything about my involvement here."

It was Abrahan's turn to laugh. "Well, she knows an awful lot now. I would not want to be you, cousin, when the time comes for explanations." He rubbed the spot on his chest where Stephanie's nail had dug in.

Ranger shook his head. "Not sure I'll want to be me then. We have another problem. I believe Miguel is here looking for her, too."

Abrahan sighed. "He is. He almost caught up with her today at Juan's. He shot and killed Juan."

"Shit." Ranger said then considered his options. "Give me the details in the car. We need to get to their hotel."

oOoOo

Stephanie and Enrique were sprawled out over the bed in the small hotel room Abrahan had arranged for the three of them to share. Manuel was assigned to the couch. When they got to their room, the first thing Stephanie did was head for the shower while Manuel went out to buy food. Despite wearing the same clothes she had been wearing for the last two days, she felt clean and was enjoying the ability to stretch her legs out straight. She was finding it hard not to fall asleep until her stomach growled, sending Enrique into a fit of laughter.

Enrique watched Stephanie in wonderment. Next to his mother, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was by far the bravest woman he had ever known! The way she had driven the car today and the way she had stood up to Abrahan had amazed him. He had never seen a woman act like that! With her eyes closed, her head resting on the pillow, and a small smile on her lips, she looked like the picture of the Madonna hanging in the old church in his village. "Are you happy that you will be seeing your husband soon?"

Stephanie opened her eyes and looked into the child's face and felt her smile grow wider. "Yes, I am." What she didn't add was that she was excited and nervous, too.

Enrique nodded, "With Señor Abrahan's help, we should reach Guantanamo in two days, three at the most."

Stephanie was just about to suggest to Enrique that it might be better if he and Manuel returned home when a knock sounded at the door. She threw a startled glance at Enrique. "Not to worry, it is just Manuel. Now you can feed your stomach! He grabbed the _baby pillow_ from the foot of the bed and tossed it to her. "Perhaps it would be best if you were to wait in the closet just in case."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. Another closet, albeit a larger one. She had a feeling that even after she got home, every closet would remind her of Cuba. She shoved the pillow under her skirt. She had checked-in pregnant, so she'd have to keep up the appearance while they were here. She patted the pillow in place and heard Enrique open the door to the room at the same time she pulled the closet door shut behind her. The next thing she heard was a startled cry from Enrique. She opened the closet door to check on him and heard a man's voice call her name.

"Stephanie Manoso, where are you? I'm here to help." The man's English carried a heavy Spanish accent.

"My name is Julio Manoso, your husband is my nephew." Who the hell was Julio? Shaking her head in disbelief at the number of Manosos running around, Stephanie stepped from the closet.

"I'm Stephanie Manoso, can I help you?"

An older man turned to look at her. "Yes, my dear, I believe you can. I've been looking for you."

Stephanie's stomach dropped. She had a very bad feeling about this. Julio Manoso shared the same good looks that seemed to run on the male side of the Manoso family, but he had a look of cruelty about him. Shit, she thought, why did she have the feeling that she had just become acquainted with the wrong side of the Manoso family?


	14. Chapter 14

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter 14**

Tank and Detective Lopez had spent the afternoon cruising the streets of Little Havana. Their combined opinion after quizzing several of their contacts was that no one was talking about Miguel. On one hand, they found that reassuring; on the other hand, they were hoping to hear some rumor about Miguel's whereabouts.

Lopez parked the car one block down from Elena's Little Restaurant. Tank had suggested that they save Elena's until last for two reasons: first, the food and second, the evening radio broadcast from Cuba. Not the 'normal' broadcast, but the one sent each night from a different location and from a different freedom fighter.

Tank waited on the sidewalk, inhaling the mouth-watering smells that permeated from Elena's while Lopez called in his final report of the day. He knew the menu by heart; it hadn't changed in thirty years, neither had the excellent quality of the food.

"God forgive me, but I think Elena cooks better than my own mother," Lopez said when he joined Tank.

Tank laughed and turned to open the door to the small restaurant. "Come on, I'm hungry."

Inside, the two waited until a pretty young girl, about sixteen years old, led them to a small table against the wall. Without offering Lopez a choice, Tank selected the chair that allowed him to watch the door and keep his back against the wall.

"My name is Rosetta." The young girl's voice was soft with just a hint of womanhood. She handed each of them a menu, "My brother, José, will be your waiter tonight." Her eyes remained downcast except for the occasional shy glance at each man, but she did roll them upward to catch one last glimpse of the large man. He was the largest man she had ever seen.

"Thank you, Rosetta," Tank said with a smile. He watched the young girl's cheeks glow with a faint gleam of pink under her caramel-colored skin. She flashed Tank a brief smile before she turned quickly and made her way to the kitchen.

Neither men bothered to peruse the menus they held in their hands; instead they cast a casual survey of the room. The kitchen door swung open and a young man approached their table. His eyes spared Lopez a momentary glance before he focused his attention on Tank.

"Can I take your order?" he asked without taking his eyes off Tank.

"Es Mamá Elena aquí?" Tank asked.

The young man continued to stare at the large man. He wasn't sure what had surprised him more, the man's size or the fact that he spoke perfect Spanish. He swallowed, trying to dislodge the dry lump that seemed to be stuck halfway down his throat.

"José!" Rosetta appeared next to her brother and gave him a shove, trying to awaken him from his stupor.

"What?" José narrowed his eyes at his little sister. In return, Rosetta flashed him a genuine sweet little sister smile.

"Okay, you two," the brief sound of Tank's deep laughter brought an end to their sibling stand off. "Is Mama Elena here?"

Both kids looked at him. "Sí," they said in unison, Rosetta giggled and ran for the kitchen door.

José didn't follow his little sister; instead he remained at the table. Tank watched when the look on the young man's face changed from one of wonderment to that of a young protector. Tank wondered what his relationship to Mama Elena was; maybe he was her grandson. Before Tank could ask, the kitchen door swung open and a short stout older woman stepped into the dining room. She was wiping her hands on a kitchen towel and speaking in a soft steady stream of Spanish that was only meant to be heard by her own ears. Hands dry, she looked at José and then at the two customers. A smile broke out on her face and her steps quickened.

"Big Man!" she called in English broken by a heavy Spanish accent, her short arms open wide in welcome.

Tank pushed his chair away from the table, stood, and lifted the old woman off the floor in a welcoming hug. He kissed her on the cheek before he settled her feet back down on the floor. "You're still beautiful, Mama Elena." Tank smiled at her.

Elena smiled up at him, her pudgy hand caressing the spot on her blushing cheek where Tank had kissed her. "You've been gone too long. Come." She turned her steps in the direction of the kitchen door, never doubting that he would heed her short command.

Tank followed Elena and right behind him came the rest of the parade: Lopez, Rosetta, and José. Elena directed Tank and Lopez to sit at a small table arranged in a far corner of the spotless kitchen. She clapped her hands and issued new instructions to the two youngsters. Each kid managed to catch one last wide-eyed look at the two strangers that had been invited to eat at Elena's private table.

Elena didn't ask what the two men would like to eat; she would serve them her specialty and enjoy watching the big man eat more than five regular men. Elena set to work, directing the other two cooks in her kitchen while combining the many spices that permeated the very heart and soul of her cooking with the other ingredients native to her homeland.

The kitchen door swung open and a thin man with graying hair walked in, smiling not only with his mouth, but also with his eyes. He carried two ice cold bottles of Hatuey beer. Small drops of condensation were just starting to run down the neck of the bottles, only to be stopped by the elder gentleman's stubby fingers that were wrapped around the bottles. Placing a bottle in front of each man, he then extended his hand to Tank.

Tank stood when the man walked into the room, reaching to shake the hand that was being offered. Tank's large hand could have covered the smaller man's hand twice.

"How are you, Martin?" Tank asked.

"Very well, but it has been too long since my wife and I have seen you." Martin glanced over at his wife, Elena, as she bustled around the kitchen. "Where is Ric?" the older man asked.

Tank answered without hesitation, "Ric is in Cuba." The clatter of kitchen movements stopped and Elena crossed herself while she whispered a brief prayer.

"Can I help?" Martin asked without hesitation, his serious eyes studying Tank's face.

"I was hoping you'd offer your help," Tank replied. "I'll vouch for Lopez," Tank reassured Martin. The older man nodded and then started walking toward the back of the kitchen.

Tank unfolded his body from the chair once more, took a pull of his beer, and tilted his head to the side, indicating that Lopez should follow them. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll kill you." Lopez just shook his head in resignation and followed the other two men through a door in the back of the kitchen.

oOoOo

Julio turned his head a fraction to the right; he took in the sleeping profile of the woman next to him. Convincing the new Mrs. Manoso to come with him had almost been too easy. His eyes drifted down over her body. She was beautiful, but he would have expected nothing less when it came to Ricardo. His eyes lingered over the roundness of her stomach; his nephew had wasted no time in planting his seed. Ricardo was very much like his father; not interested in how much money they could make from Cuba's hardships; instead he cared about the people. Like his father, Ricardo freely spent his own money to help the resistance. The young man was a fool; together he and Ricardo could have amassed unbelievable fortunes. With a disgusted sigh, Julio ignored the sleeping woman, dismissing her as an ordinary, spoiled American woman.

Feigning sleep, Stephanie felt the man's eyes on her. She had tried to watch the road, hoping to memorize directions and landmarks, but her concentration was fractured after a few minutes. Her mind kept replaying the chain of events that happened after she stepped out of the closet. She had been so filled with purpose; foolish in thinking that she could control the situation by stepping forward. Well, maybe not control the situation, but to stop the need for innocent people being hurt because of her.

She willed herself not to let the son of a bitch see her cry and tasted the salty tears that entered her throat instead of running down her cheeks. She hadn't been able to stop the monster sitting next to her from harming Enrique. One of Julio's armed thugs had struck the small boy on the side of his head as he tried to protect her. Again, her mind saw his small thin body collapse in slow motion, the blood starting to mat his dark hair. It was at that moment that she had walked out of the hotel room exactly when Julio had ordered her to do so.

This time she wasn't successful in keeping the tears from escaping and she turned her head away from the monster. Nothing in life had prepared her for witnessing the intentional act of harming a child.

oOoOo

Abrahan admired the energy his cousin Ricardo expended in his attempt to remain calm during their drive back into town. He smiled when he imagined the reunion between Ricardo and his new wife. His mental image sharpened with the remembrance of her finger poking into his chest and he released a deep laugh.

"What's so funny?" Ranger asked, frowning at his cousin.

"I was just thinking about your wife," Abrahan laughed again. "I'm afraid you are going to spend part of your honeymoon answering her many questions, my cousin."

Ranger nodded his head in agreement. "She's not shy about stating her opinion."

"Maybe once she is finished with you, we should arrange for your wife to meet with El Presidenté." Abrahan smiled and then laughed even harder at the look of horror on Ranger's face. "Relax, cousin, we'll collect her soon."

Ranger parked the blue monstrosity as close to the hotel's entrance as he could, hoping that if Stephanie were in town, her curiosity would force her to investigate the car or seek out its owner.

The smiles that Ranger and Abrahan wore on their faces disappeared when they entered the hotel. Only three hotel employees were visible; no patrons mingled about. Ranger noticed the woman working behind the desk, her hands shook when she wiped away a stray curl from her forehead.

Abrahan approached the two male employees and exchanged a few brief words with them. He tore off up the stairs, yelling for Ranger to follow him.

Ranger cleared the last step and came up behind Abrahan who stood frozen inside an opened door. Pushing past him, Ranger entered the room. In front of him was a man sitting on the floor, cradling the limp body of a small boy in his arms.


	15. Chapter 15

_Note: Since all the characters (except for Stephanie!) in this chapter would most likely be speaking Spanish to one another, I'm taking the liberty of not writing it in Spanish. Please understand there would be too much room for error and debate on how to say it and I'm not sure the character's meaning or actions would translate properly. _

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Hola?" Christ, Miguel thought, now what?

"Miguel."

"Padre." Shit, he's early, Miguel thought, and he still hadn't learned anything about the woman.

"You can call off your search now. I have Ricardo's wife."

Miguel felt his mouth run dry. He'd been shown up by a man almost three times his age: just one more humiliation to thank his cousin Ricardo for. "How?"

The old man's chuckle was not a pleasant sound. "Long ears and paying attention to details. A solid network. Determination." A tight sigh came over the phone. "All things I fear you have not developed." Unspoken were the words 'unlike your cousin', but in that small moment of silence, Miguel heard them loud and clear.

"Where are you?"

"The penthouse at the Hotel Melia Cohiba."

He should have known, Miguel thought. His father always traveled in style. "I can be in Havana in less than one hour."

Another humorless chuckle sounded. "No, hijo, you have done more than enough for one day. Tomorrow night, Senora Manoso and I will be heading back to Miami. Tonight, I must meet with some of my supporters. Word has reached me that Ricardo is on Cuban soil. I expect you to find him and observe his activities and learn what you can of his plans." Miguel closed his eyes and waited out his father's long pause. "Assuming that doesn't exceed your abilities?"

Miguel bit down an angry retort. "Not at all. You can count my success."

"Oh, I am, Miguel. Don't let me down, again. It's becoming…tiresome." The line disconnected, leaving Miguel seething. An ugly plan popped unbidden into his head. His dear father would be out tonight? Then Miguel would be paying a visit to his father's haven and show his father exactly what he was capable of and exact his revenge on both his cousin and his cousin's wife.

Miguel smiled the smile of a man well pleased with himself while he began to formulate the details of his revenge.

oOoOo

"Where is she? Where's my wife?" Exercising every last bit of control he possessed, Ranger spoke in a tight, low voice accented by the flash in his eyes.

The man on the floor looked at him, amazement in his eyes. "Is it truly you, our hero?"

Ranger turned to Abrahan. "Who is he? Is he one of ours?"

Abrahan nodded. "Sí, this is Manuel. The boy is Enrique Martinez, Emmanuel's son. The boy is the one who speaks English and the two of them have been helping Stephanie reach safety at Guantánamo."

Ranger sighed and crouched down to Manuel's level. "My name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Let me look at the boy." Ranger lifted the towel the man was using to cover the cut above Enrique's temple. "Abrahan, get Pedro here, now!"

Manuel leaned back a bit, allowing Ranger room to examine Enrique. "I've sent for a doctor, don't worry, he should be fine. I want the child checked out and his needs met." Ranger lifted Enrique from Manuel's arms and carried him to the couch. He laid the child down with a gentleness that somehow didn't fit with his tense, muscular body.

"The doctor is on his way," Abrahan reported.

Ranger nodded and turned back to Manuel, "Tell me what happened."

Manuel struggled to stand on his trembling legs and relayed what little he knew. He'd come back from buying food to find Enrique on the floor unconscious and Stephanie gone. "I am sorry I failed you. I will do whatever I can to help you find her."

The stiffness in Ranger's shoulders softened. More than anyone, he knew how hard it was to keep Stephanie safe, despite one's best efforts. This man, who didn't even know her, had already sacrificed a lot, as had the child. He would see that they were rewarded, one way or another, and that they were not subjected to further hardship.

"Thank you, Manuel, for all that you have done. Both you and the boy have done more than could be expected, and I am in your debt. We need to get Enrique examined, then see that the two of you return back home as quick as possible."

"No!" the small voice surprised them all. Enrique struggled to sit, but collapsed back against the couch. Abrahan settled his hand on the child's shoulder. "I will not leave until I know Babe is safe!"

Ranger regarded the small form: pale, eyes closed, but stubborn. He couldn't stop the deep chuckle that reverberated in his chest. He wasn't sure if it was due to his worry over Stephanie or hearing the small boy using the same endearment he called her. What he did recognize was the tone of the young boy's voice. It was one he'd used often enough himself when it came to trying to keep Stephanie safe.

"Son, you and I need to have a little talk about Babe when you're feeling better," Ranger said and turned his attention back to Manuel. "I apologize. Enrique is not a boy, he is a man, and I would be humbled to accept your help if you're still willing to give it."

"It would be my honor to fight with you." Manuel bowed his head.

A moment of uneasiness swept through Ranger, he wasn't a hero. He only wanted to help to stop this injustice. "Gracias."

Addressing Abrahan, Ranger asked him to question the staff once again. Someone had to have seen Stephanie leave and the person she had been with. There had to be someone who was brave enough to talk!

Ranger sat on the edge of the couch and smiled at Enrique. He fingered a lump of curly hair and nudged it off the child's forehead. "Relax, the doctor is on his way and he is a friend of mine." Ranger drew in a deep breath and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Everything in him wanted to run from the room and join Abrahan, but he knew they were close to finding Stephanie, he could feel it and he needed to maintain his cover as long as possible. He punched in Will's number to update him on the happenings so he could pass the information on to Leon.

Ranger sank into his zone. So many possibilities, so little time to narrow then down. His ruminations were interrupted by Enrique's small voice. "Señora Manoso was taken by someone claiming to be your uncle. He gave the name Julio Manoso."

Ranger shot a startled glance at Enrique. The kid was good. With a little training, this one would go far. At that moment, Ranger decided how to repay the young man for his help.

oOoOo

Stephanie paced back and forth across the large bedroom that acted as her cell. At least that's how she thought of it. She knew Julio believed her to be asleep. Her eyes slid in the direction of the large bed. The thought was tempting; after all, in sleep she could escape and hide from all that madness. She stopped pacing and narrowed her eyes in determination. No, not this time. Maybe she'd absorbed Ranger's penchant for planning via osmosis. Maybe being his wife had given her courage she hadn't known she possessed. Maybe it was the seriousness of the situation and others being willing to put their own lives on the line for her and what they believed. Maybe it was the image of Enrique's blood flowing onto the carpet.

Whatever it was, Stephanie realized that she was making plans, unlike in the past she would have given up and hoped for the best. She had smashed her ear so hard against the door when she heard Julio talking on the phone that she had a headache, but she'd managed to learn a couple of things by picking out certain words: she'd learned that Julio was going to leave sometime tonight and that his opinion of her was 'an arrogant American woman'. She'd prove him wrong on that point, somehow. The other thing she'd learned hadn't been said with words, but with a sigh. It was the same sigh her mother emitted when she was disappointed in her. Julio thought his son was incompetent. She knew he'd arrange for someone to watch her while he was gone. She could only hope that whoever her babysitter was, wasn't all that smart.

She rubbed her hand across the pillow covering her abdomen and smiled. What man wouldn't panic at the sight of a pregnant woman going into premature labor? Rolling her eyes, she almost laughed. Most men were helpless morons in the face of 'female' problems. She had to do this right because if this didn't work, she was screwed.

The bedroom door opened while she was rubbing the _baby_ bump and she came face-to-face with Julio. Noticing her gesture, he frowned. "Are you all right?" Stephanie smiled to herself. Good, the shark had taken the bait.

She gave him a tremulous smile. "Yeah, just a twinge." But she made sure the rubbing didn't stop, adding in a wince for good measure.

Julio's frown deepened and he took a step back. "Just how far along are you?"

"Just starting my eighth month." She smiled. "I can't wait for this to be over." And I don't mean the 'pregnancy' either, she added to herself.

"Then you'll be relieved to know that we'll be leaving for Miami tomorrow night."

Stephanie frowned. "Miami? Why Miami? I'd much rather go home to Trenton, and I really want to get in touch with my husband. He must be frantic by now."

"Unfortunately, he seems to be out of reach. I have tried to contact him without success."

Stephanie made her entire face crumble, tears flowing from her eyes. "Oh my God, what if he didn't survive the explosion?" Just the thought of that brought real tears. "What am I going to do?" Pointing to her stomach, she wailed, "What are _we_ going to do?"

"Ricardo was seen two days ago in Miami. That's why I've decided to accompany you there despite the personal danger I myself might encounter. I would assume he's doing whatever he can think of to find you."

"Are you sure? You're not just saying that to make me feel better?" The man was such a snake she could see his scales.

"I assure you that I speak the truth." Oh yeah, she thought, I bet you're the epitome of honesty. "It will be easier for Ricardo to find you in Miami. He would never forgive me if I failed to take care of his wife in his absence." Julio could think of several ways he'd like to take care of Stephanie and none of them involved his nephew.

Stephanie forced the image of throwing up on him into the back of her mind. "Odd he never mentioned you. I wonder why?"

Julio shook his head sadly. "Ricardo is a strange man, one I cannot understand. Even as a boy, he was secretive." Julio shrugged his shoulders in a classic Latin gesture. "We will both have to ask him that question, no?"

Oh yeah, he's got a lot of explaining to do, she thought, but not until Julio paid for the evil he had done to Enrique.

oOoOo

Miguel checked his watch. He was sitting across the street from the hotel in a coffee shop, the same place he'd been in for over two hours. An hour ago, he'd seen one of his father's goons enter the hotel. Twenty minutes later, he'd watched his father emerge from the hotel's front entrance and step into a waiting car. The desire for revenge was burning hot in his stomach and he wouldn't be able to wait much longer. Twenty more minutes and then he'd make his move.


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: Sorry it's gotten so late. F F. net's kinda shaky tonight.._

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter 16**

Okay, she had a plan. Besides, how much more wrong could things get? She knew how babies were made and how they were born, well; she had enough of an idea for this to work. She'd had cramps and the flu; it should be a snap for her to fake a case of 'fake' premature labor. She went to the bathroom and filled a glass of water and poured it down over her butt so that it spread over her backside and another one on the front of her skirt below the _baby_ bump. The last glass of water, she poured onto the bed.

"Well, here goes," Stephanie whispered to herself as she settled in the center of the bed. "Oohh…" she moaned in a regular tone and then waited before she repeated it, this time a little louder. "Ooohhh…" Shit, it was a good thing she wasn't really in labor!

"OOOOHHHH…" she sat up in the bed and moaned louder and longer in the direction of the door. "I need help in here!" Her eyes watched the doorknob, hoping to see it turn. Shit, what if her babysitter didn't speak English? When the knob moved, she took a deep breath and looked at her finger that was covered with soap. "Showtime," she muttered and stuck her fingertip into both of her eyes. For the first time in her life she wished she had Valerie's ability to cry on demand; oh well, soapy tears would have to work.

"Señora?" Stephanie blinked around her soapy tears and almost forgot her plan. The man who appeared in the open door was the bastard who'd felt her up in the wagon! "Are you ill?" he asked, his eyes nervous. She collected her thoughts and fell sideways on the bed, drawing her knees up while she clutched her stomach.

"OOOOHHHH…" She had no trouble making the sound painful; this man was going to pay.

The guard's face paled with fright. "Do you need a doctor?"

"My water broke… I think the baby's coming…" She ground her words through gritted teeth like she'd seen actresses do on television.

The man stood frozen. Shit, he was worse than most… Going for the full affect, she screamed and rolled onto her other side, exposing the wetness. "Do you know how to deliver a baby?" she asked and let another scream.

"No." The bastard with the roaming hands answered.

Stephanie rolled onto her other side to hide the smile that almost broke out on her face and screamed as loud as she could while clutching the pillow.

"Get me a phone!" She panted and rolled her wet eyes to look at him. Unsure how he was supposed to answer, he nodded his head yes.

"I need to call my doctor!" Stephanie held her breath, praying that the asshole's confusion lasted just a little longer.

The man pulled the cell phone off his belt and started to hand it to her, but drew it back in hesitation.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!" Stephanie wailed loud and long and grabbed the phone from his hand. Damn, this really was turning into an act of labor. She didn't waver and started to punch in the country code for the US and then a number she was hoping would be answered.

The bastard took a step toward her as if he was going to take the phone from her. Stephanie fell back onto her side and screamed for all she was worth. Her performance was so convincing that the man took two steps back. Please, please, please… answer the phone.

One ring and the call rolled over to Ranger's voice mail. Shit! She wasted no time in punching in another number: this may be her only chance of reaching a real person and she wasn't going to stop until she heard a person on the other end.

"Talk," a deep voice said and she felt real tears slip from her eyes.

"Mom? I think I'm having the baby… I need _h e l p_." Stephanie stretched the last word out, hoping to emphasize her desperation.

"Who the hell is this?" Shit, Tank wasn't in a patient mood tonight.

"Mom, I'm with Ranger's uncle in Havana and I think the baby isn't going to wait until we reach Miami tomorrow."

"Stephanie?" Tank's voice came back sharp.

"Yes," Stephanie wept with relief.

"How far apart are the pains?" Tank asked. "Wait a minute; what the fuck are you talking about, you're not pregnant…"

"I can't find Ranger… do you know where he is?" She let another painful moan creep into her voice.

"Has that son of a bitch, Julio, hurt you?" She could imagine the knotted bunch of muscles forming on Tank's jaw. "Ranger's in Havana looking for you. STAY WHERE YOU ARE…" Tank screamed the order loud and clear over the phone.

"Okay, Mom." Stephanie said before she pulled the phone away from her ear. "Mom says I should go to the hospital." The bastard nodded in agreement. "Thanks Mom, we're on our way to the hospital. I love you." The sadness her face reflected was real when she ended the call.

She lifted her head and looked at the man standing at the foot of her bed, "Will you take me to the hospital?"

"Sí," a voice answered from the doorway. The bastard's head swerved around to see who had spoken.

"Who's that?" Stephanie asked and then noticed the man hovering in the doorway was standing at attention. Oh, this could not be good.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Miguel Manoso." He left the doorway and walked to the edge of the bed. "I am your husband's cousin and I would be more than honored to escort you to the hospital."

As Miguel's hand reached out to touch her stomach, Stephanie instinctively recoiled back to protect her unborn child from his touch. Damn, this was spooky.

"Thank you," she whispered. "The sooner the better."

"Tell my father I have taken Ricardo's wife." Miguel shot the verbal order at the guard. "Can you walk?" Stephanie shook her head. "Shall we go?" Miguel asked. Stephanie rose off the bed; her steps slow and she was careful to hold her pregnancy pillow snug against her stomach. She'd seen this bastard at work and had no intentions of blowing her plan now.

oOoOo

Tank stared at the phone, unheeding of the dial tone that had replaced the woman's voice. "Was that Stephanie?" Lopez asked. "You didn't say anything about her being pregnant." The detective watched the large man's face. He couldn't tell if the man was going to laugh or going into a rage.

"She's not." Tank said after he ended the call on his end and clipped the cell phone back on his belt. Tank's eyes met Lopez's and then a huge smile broke out across his face. "You haven't had the pleasure of meeting the new Mrs. Manoso yet." A cavernous chuckle rose from his chest. "She is one-of-a-kind, totally unpredictable." Tank shook his head. "Come on, let's go," he called to Lopez over his shoulder and left the small hidden room and stepped back inside the restaurant's kitchen.

"Where are we going?" Lopez turned to follow in the larger man's footsteps.

"Cuba," Tank replied.

"Cuba?" Lopez stopped. "Are you crazy?" he shouted at the large back that continued walking away.

Stopping, Tank turned and looked at Lopez. "If I'm going to be a quasi-uncle, I plan on being there for the birth!"

Confused, Lopez looked at Tank. "But she's not pregnant!"

Tank's laughter was loud and hearty. "You're right, but whatever the Bombshell is planning on giving birth to, I don't want to miss." Turning, Tank left the confused detective staring once again at his back.

oOoOo

Ranger reached inside his pocket and pulled out the vibrating phone. "Yo."

"Congratulations, my friend." Will's smiling voice came booming through the phone.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ranger asked.

"Seems like your wife is in labor and on her way to the hospital," Will laughed. "You do work fast."

"You talked to Stephanie?" The note of hope in Ranger's voice was easy to hear.

"No, Tank did. Seems she's on her way to the hospital to give birth to your miracle child." Will laughed harder. "I have to meet this wife of yours, Ric."

Ranger rubbed his face. "Which hospital?"

"I'd say the closest one to Hotel Melia Cohiba since that's where your uncle is staying," Will answered.

Ranger didn't bother to respond; he just disconnected the call and turned to Abrahan. "Stay here until Leon arrives. Stephanie called Tank, Julio has her in Havana."

"Julio?" Abrahan asked. "How?"

Ranger shook his head and walked toward the door. "It's just the way Stephanie does things."

"Be careful, Ricardo," Abrahan called to his cousin.

oOoOo

Stephanie had to remember to moan and act like she was in pain. Her attention was being drawn away from her 'condition' while she studied the shadowed profile of the man driving the car. The few lights that were on afforded her only brief glimpses of the man she had watched murder Juan. The family resemblance made her heart ache.

She watched as his eyes flicked nervous glances to the rearview mirror. He had done it several times since leaving, but this time he smiled and pulled the steering wheel to a sharp right. The old car didn't have seatbelts and Stephanie slid over the worn leather seat, jamming the armrest into her side.

"Ouch!" Her pain was real this time. "Careful." She shot an angry look in the driver's direction. He responded by allowing a vicious smile to form on his face.

Ignoring the condition of the road, Miguel drove faster. Stephanie didn't say a word, but hung on to the dashboard and tried to absorb the heavy bumps as best as she could, trying not to hit her head.

"Is this the way to hospital?" she asked, but feared she already knew the answer. The man remained quiet, but his face still wore the ugly smile. "Where are you taking me?"

With another sharp pull of the wheel, the car swung to the left and then slowed. They had entered a tree lined dirt path that only someone familiar with the area would be able to find. A small stone structure appeared before them and Miguel steered with care until the car was hidden behind it.

He turned the engine off, opened his door and stepped out, leaving Stephanie to sit in the dark interior. He walked around to the back of the car, opened the trunk and lifted out a large duffel bag. When he opened her door, she thought about trying to run but discarded that idea when she saw the gun in his hand. He waved the gun, instructing her to get out of the car.

He gave her shoulder a slight push and pointed toward a small building that was set back in a tiny grove of trees. When they reached the door, he leaned past her to open it, but blocked her from entering.

"I saw you and my cousin Ricardo in Vegas." Stephanie shivered at the hateful way he said Ranger's name. "Your body has changed some in the past few days."

Stephanie froze. Shit, he knew she was faking the pregnancy.

He nudged her forward into a dark room that smelled of old grease and stale air. She almost vomited. He shoved the door shut and stepped around her to light an old fashioned lantern that was sitting on a small rickety table. The pale yellow light cast the room in heavy shadows; it also revealed the makeup of her surroundings. The room was small with a bed in one corner, a small stove next to a blackened fireplace. The only other furniture was the table and chairs.

He opened the duffel bag and pulled out a length of rope and, yanking her arms behind her, he tied her hands together. Stepping in front of her, they looked at each other. His hands were quick, her skirt was pulled up and the pillow removed before she could prevent it. She could feel his eyes roaming over her. She twisted and turned her body; she stepped back, and pulled her skirt from his grasp. He laughed.

"Don't worry _cousin_; I plan on welcoming you to the family in a very special way." He hauled her body tight against his. "Women do not need to pretend they are pregnant after being with me."


	17. Chapter 17

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter 17**

Ranger had Big Blue's cousin running full out by the time he reached the only hospital in the area that had a maternity ward. The car was still rocking to a stop when he shut off the engine and opened the passenger door. His foot hit the pavement while he gave the perimeter a quick glance and then sprinted for the closest entrance.

He saw the receiving desk and made his way over to it, ignoring everyone and everything in his path. "I'm trying to locate my wife's room number. Her name is Stephanie Manoso; she may have been checked into the maternity ward." Ranger worked to keep his voice low; it was best to keep the name Manoso quiet at this point.

The man behind the desk took his time to search through the many pages of admittance records. "I do not have a record of anyone by that name." The man answered without looking up.

"You're sure?" Ranger could feel the muscles in his jaw tightening.

"Yes, I am sure. No one with the last name of Manoso has been admitted into the maternity ward or any other ward tonight." The man still refused to look up.

Ranger caught the elevated inflection of the name Manoso when the man answered. If Stephanie were here, others would be watching for his arrival. He didn't bother to thank the man when he turned away; instead, he gave close scrutiny to those standing around him and noticed a uniformed guard staring at him. Shit, he didn't want to waste his time with a confrontation. He reversed his steps and left the hospital. He would wait a few minutes to see what kinds of forces he was up against. He planned to search the entire hospital and the fewer people he had watching him the better.

He used the nighttime reflections in the door to check if the guard was following him. Not yet, but it was only a matter of time. He didn't bother to go back to the car; instead he walked across the street and down the block before he slipped into the shadows.

Minutes later, the guard walked through the door. He looked up and down the street and checked inside the few cars parked at the curb. Ranger watched while the guard continued to scan up and down the street and then made a call on his cell phone. Question was – which side of the Manoso family was he calling? When the guard finished his call, he turned and went back inside the hospital.

Ranger waited another five minutes, but no one else came out or arrived as a result of the guard's phone call.

Something didn't feel right. In his gut, Ranger knew the guard had called his uncle, but if that was the case, why wasn't there any back-up arriving? He gave a cautious glance up and down the street and then worked his way to the opposite side of the hospital. He picked the lock on the first door he came to and slipped inside.

The hospital was small and the staffing was sparse, making it easy for Ranger to finish his search in under an hour. Stephanie was nowhere to be found. Frustrated, he had retrieved the blue monstrosity parked in front of the hospital and driven back to the hotel. He waited until he was inside his hotel room before he phoned Will.

OOoOo

"I cannot believe you are such an idiot!" Julio slammed his fist down on the desk, his eyes flashing with anger at the man standing in front of him. "You just let him take her?"

"I have pledged to follow you and your orders, but he is your son and I have taken orders from him in the past with your approval."

Julio's scowl deepened. The man was right, but he still felt like killing him. "Do you know where he took her?"

"No, but with the way she was screaming, I would have taken her to the nearest hospital." The man shook his head with the memory of the woman's screams.

"Are you sure that she was in pain?" Julio had never been present during any of his children's births. Half the little shits he had spawned he didn't claim, so why should he be there for the unpleasantness? He was still considering shooting the man standing in front him when he punched in the numbers for Miguel's cell phone. The call went unanswered. "I cannot believe he is this stupid! Come with me, we're going to the hospital," Julio ground out the order and headed for the door.

oOoOo

Miguel turned away a split second before Stephanie's knee would have slammed him in the balls, but caught him on the side of his thigh instead. "So you like to play rough, huh? I'll remember that when the time comes for me to pleasure myself with you."

He looked down at his ringing phone and his face became a picture of disgust. His father. Damn, he needed to speed things along. "It seems my father has found out that you're no longer in his care, but I would much prefer it if your husband was the one calling me. Why don't you call him? I have a phone number for him, but I'm sure you have a better one."

Stephanie stared at the phone he was extending out to her. Should she call Ranger? Tears gathered in her eyes at the thought of hearing his voice. She watched her hand reach out and accept the phone; her mind was numb and her fingers trembled as she pressed in Ranger's number. She raised the phone to her ear, only to have it snatched from her hand by Miguel.

"I think it would be best if my cousin and I discussed business first." Stephanie drew her hand back to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back, causing her to cry out in pain just as Ranger answered.

"Stephanie?" Ranger yelled into the phone.

"Hello, Ricardo. So nice to hear your voice again, it's been a while." Miguel snarled into the phone.

"You're a dead man, Miguel," Ranger's voice was low and his words rang true that he would carry out his threat.

"For your wife's sake, I would suggest that you hold your threats and listen." Miguel gave a quick jerk on Stephanie's arm and wrenched it up tighter to draw another scream from her. "Do I have your attention now?"

"Talk." Ranger seethed.

"Always so direct. I was going to congratulate you on your marriage and compliment you on selecting such a beautiful bride." Miguel knew it was dangerous to taunt his cousin, but he seldom had Ricardo at a disadvantage. "If you wish her to remain beautiful, you will meet my demands."

"What do you want?" Ranger knew what Miguel wanted and there was no way he would give his cousin the information.

"Tell me where Maria is," Miguel growled. His teeth were clenched so tight, spittle formed in the corners of his mouth.

"She's dead." Ranger answered. "Let me talk to Stephanie."

"She is not dead!" Miguel screamed into the phone. "It's a lie, just like the marriage you two were supposed to have had. Your skills at covering your tracks were not as good back then as they are now. The information cost me, but I did find out that the records had been forged and then she just happens to die in a car accident?" Miguel released a repugnant scoff. "You expect me to believe that?"

Ranger remained quiet. He knew that if he pushed Miguel too far, Stephanie would bear the brunt of his cousin's anger. "I will tell you what you want to know, but only after Stephanie has been released, unharmed."

Miguel's laughter was sharp. "Oh no, Ricardo. First the information and, once I have had a chance to confirm it; we will discuss the return of your wife. But I must warn you, the longer it takes me to confirm your information, the less likely she will be returned to you unharmed."

"Put her on the phone, now." Ranger ordered.

"Your husband would like to say hello." Miguel placed the phone next to Stephanie's ear.

"Ranger?" She hated that her voice quivered.

"Babe, are you alright?" Ranger felt every muscle in his body tighten from the fear he heard in her voice.

"I'm okay, but it's cold out here in this old shack." She felt the first tear slide down her cheek. It wasn't much of a clue, but it was the best she could do.

"I'll find you." He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but it was Miguel's voice that came back on the phone.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll try, but for now, she's mine. Are you ready to give me the information?"

"I need to check a few things first, call me back in two hours." Ranger was playing for a little time.

"Two hours, but if I'm not satisfied with your information, I'm afraid your beautiful wife will suffer." Miguel smiled with satisfaction when he disconnected the call. "Your husband is so much easier to deal with, thanks to you." He reached around and captured her other hand. "I'm afraid you're going to have to stay here while I take care of some last minute business." He kicked the duffel bag closer to the bed and then shoved her face down on the dilapidated mattress. He placed one knee in the center of her back to hold her still while he reached down to pull out several sections of rope from the duffel. He laced a piece of rope around her hands and knotted them tight enough to bite into her skin.

"Damn it, that hurts!" Stephanie was tired of being ordered around; just hearing Ranger's voice seemed to have brought back her attitude.

Miguel flipped her over, grasped her feet, and secured them to the metal bedpost at the foot of the bed. "There, that should hold you until I get back." He stood and straightened his clothes and picked up his cell phone. "There is no one to hear you scream, so save your energy."

Stephanie watched him leave and then released a sigh of relief. At least she was alone, now she just needed to come up with another plan.

oOoOo

Will disconnected the phone call and kicked the nearest chair. Great, just fucking great. This was all he needed, another two players sneaking into the country. Hell, if this kept up, half of Miami would be back in Cuba by tomorrow! Leave it to Manoso to find the one woman who could inspire this many men to come to her rescue. Will righted the chair he had kicked over and sat down. Might as well give Ric the good news; he reached for his phone.

"What?" Ranger snapped into the phone.

"Let me start off by saying, I was told and not asked." Will rubbed his hand over his face.

"What?"

"Tank and his pet detective, Lopez, are on their way here. They should be at your hotel in about half an hour." Will pulled his phone away from his ear, expecting a blast of anger to come through. He heard nothing but silence. He waited a couple of seconds and then put the phone back to his ear. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Good."

"Good?"

"I'm going to need the help." Ranger proceeded to tell Will about his conversation with Miguel and Stephanie. "So what I need from you is a location. Use your contacts and my network; someone has to know where this _old_ place is."

"I have to tell you man, I cannot wait to meet this woman. You know, she's gonna be the death of you."

"Maybe so, but I'll die a very happy man." Ranger felt a smile tug at his lips. For the first time since he'd pushed her out of the plane, he felt like this mess was coming to an end.

"Can't believe Miguel is stupid enough to double cross his father," Will added.

"Neither can I, but that's my uncle's problem, not mine." Ranger collapsed in the nearest chair.

"Just sit tight. Leon should be there a little bit before the rest of your cavalry arrives."

"Thanks for all your help, my friend, I owe you one."

"Just find your wife; meeting her will be repayment enough." Will laughed and hung up.

Ranger reached down and pulled his computer case into his lap. He needed a picture as bait for Miguel and he had the perfect candid shot of his sister that would work. He found the picture and transferred it over to his phone. His eyes began to droop and he shook the sleep away and closed down his computer.

For once, he was glad that Leon and Tank had gone against his wishes. He planned to get Stephanie back safe and sound and he was going to need some help. No way would he risk losing her now. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the chair. This should all be over in a couple of hours.


	18. Chapter 18

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter 18**

Leon looked at the heap of human exhaustion, otherwise known as his brother, sleeping in a chair and grinned. Damn, the man was a mess. Even though the carpet in the hotel room was old, Leon could see where Ric had been paced with worry. Wonder how many miles he had walked before fatigue had dropped him into the chair?

A faint ringing sounded from the right pocket of Ranger's slacks and before Leon could blink; his brother's gun was aimed dead center on his forehead.

"Uh, Ric…would you mind lowering the gun?" Leon's eyes were crossed as he looked upward, trying to see the spot where Ranger's gun was pointed. "Hell, man, just because I look a lot better than you do doesn't mean you should shoot me."

"Shit," Ranger hissed through his teeth and lowered his gun while he struggled with the ringing phone. "What?" he spat into the phone.

"Damn Ric! You're sounding a little uptight. Thought newlyweds were supposed to be among the most relaxed and sexually satisfied people on earth," Tank's deep voice reverberated.

"Where are you?" Ranger asked while he holstered his gun.

"Close. We should be there in about 20," Tank answered.

"Miguel has Steph," Ranger announced to both Leon and Tank. As if on cue, both men shouted '_What?'_ at the same time and at the same volume. "We'll talk when you get here."

oOoOo

Stephanie knew she wasn't asleep, but she wasn't sure how awake she was either. Her entire body was numb after having her wrists tied to the headboard and her feet tied together all night. The slightest attempt at moving caused her to groan with pain. Shit, how could Ranger be so perfect and have such strange relatives? Okay, so she was saddled with Grandma Mazur… Valerie, Vinnie and Shirley, but still, not one of them would have kidnapped him! Well, when it came to Grandma Mazur all bets were off.

"I see you survived the night," Miguel leered down at her from where he stood at the side of the bed.

"No thanks to you, asshole," Stephanie muttered. "I suggest that you untie me before my bladder explodes," she said with more feeling. Nope, what little sleep she had gotten hadn't helped her mood any.

"What does my cousin see in you?" Miguel's words carried a singsong note as he loomed over her with narrowed eyes. "You do nothing but bitch, your language is crude, and you have a skinny ass." Miguel studied her face; a smile bent the corners of his lips upward. "Ahh, maybe it is what you do for him in the confines of his bed." Miguel reached out and fondled her breast. "Nice," he said while he pinched her erect nipple.

Stephanie stared back at Miguel. Hot retorts of hatred surged up into her mouth. She forced herself to remain quiet and to keep all emotions from showing on her face. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing how much she hated being touched by him or how scared she really was of her situation.

"When you're finished, may I please go to the bathroom?" Stephanie fought to maintain a detached tone to her voice. She needed to remain calm; she needed to think. She had expected Miguel to respond to her lack of anger, but the swiftness of his hand cracking across her mouth was more than she'd anticipated. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. Still, she did not cry out. One way or another, she would find a way to pay him back and then some.

oOoOo

Lopez studied the changes in Tank's body language from the back seat of the car. The big man hadn't spoken a word since his conversation with Manoso, except to tell him that Miguel had kidnapped Stephanie. Lopez shook his head. If Tank was any indication of how intense this rescue was going to get, God help Miguel. Their driver seemed to sense the change in Tank's body language, too, and somehow managed to force the old car to cover the last few miles quicker than one would have thought possible.

When the driver pulled up in front of the hotel, Tank turned around in his seat to look at Lopez. "Please tell me you were smart enough to leave your badge and gun stateside." Lopez nodded. "Good, then continue to be smart and let us do our job and don't go _cop_ on us, otherwise, things could get ugly… for you." With that, Tank extracted his large body out of the front seat and entered the hotel. He didn't bother to stop at the desk, instead he headed for the stairway and powered up the stairs two at a time with Lopez following right behind. When he reached the first door on the left, he rapped with the knuckle of his index finger and walked in. Given the situation, manners were forgotten.

Ranger held up a finger, instructing them to keep quiet. He gave Lopez an intense gaze while he listened to the person on the other end of the call. "Get back here as soon as you can." He slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to address the questioning looks on each of the men's faces. "Abrahan is on his way back here. He's almost certain he knows where Miguel has taken Stephanie."

"How soon is he going to be here?" Leon asked.

"In about fifteen minutes," Ranger answered. "There's a small deserted cabin about 30 minutes from here, an old meeting place for resistors."

Tank nodded hello at Leon and walked over to the small side table and selected a bottle of water. "Ric, why don't you take a quick shower before Abrahan gets here, you look like hell."

Ranger started to say no, but took a second look at Tank's expression and changed his mind. His friend was right; he needed to clear his head before he came face to face with Miguel. "I could use some coffee," he said in Leon's direction.

Leon smiled and headed toward the door. "The man always drinks coffee when he's in disguise."

oOoOo

Stephanie's eyes searched the small room for the second time, desperately looking for anything that could be used as a weapon. Damn, there had to be something! The bathroom was way past primitive; no running water, just a cistern style toilet and a hand pump at the sink to draw water. Compared to this, a port-a-potty on the side of the road could be considered luxurious. She held her hand under the small trickle of water she had managed to pump into the pipe and splashed it on her face.

Miguel stood outside the shabby excuse of a bathroom door with his ear pressed against it. His cousin's new wife appeared to have a lot of fire to her actions, very different from the first Mrs. Manoso. The thought of Maria caused Miguel to fist his hands in anger. Yes, he would enjoy taming the wild spirit of Ricardo's new woman between the rough sheets of the little bed across the room.

"You've been in there long enough." Miguel banged his fist against the brittle planks of wood. "I think it's time you met the better side of the Manoso family."

Nausea swayed her body as the full meaning of his words played through her mind. Dear God, she needed to think of something. The grip of her right hand tightened on the handle of the pump and she raised it with more force than she intended to. The rusted bolt holding the two pieces of the pump together bent.

The bolt's movement surprised her and she released the handle. She looked at the crooked bolt and smiled. With renewed hope and strength, she forced the handle up and then brought it down hard; using all the power she could manage. Again the rusty bolt bent.

The flimsy door almost collapsed as Miguel hit it with his fist. "I said get out here!"

"I'll be right out." Stephanie closed her eyes and prayed that the bolt would give before the door. She raised the handle and then pulled it down in one strong, swift movement. The bolt gave way, the handle of the pump felt heavy in her hand.

She stared smiling at the handle. She had a weapon! Miguel kicked the door open. The sharp cracking sound of splintering wood caused Stephanie to whirl around. Miguel was trying to pull his foot back through the hole. For one split second, she was tempted to raise the pump handle and beat on his foot. She flexed her fingers around the handle and pulled in a deep breath of courage, then his foot disappeared and she hurried to hide her weapon in the abundant material of her skirt.

Miguel kicked higher on the door this time and it sprang open. He reached inside and pulled her out of the small room and began dragging her toward the bed. "Now you will learn how to obey a man," Miguel said as he grabbed a handful of her long hair and turned her to face him. "When I'm done with you, you will know how to respect me or you will be dead!" He caught a tight hold of the thin material of her blouse and ripped it in half to expose the small lacy bra she wore.

She didn't consider the outcome of her actions; she just clutched the heave piece of iron in her hand and swung it in a full arch back and over her shoulder. With the first strike she delivered, Miguel's lecherous smile was erased from his face; a look of horror and shock replaced it as he stood dazed by the blow. Stephanie didn't wait for him to recover. She swung the handle again and Miguel crumpled to the floor.

She stood frozen, never hearing the ringing sound of the pump handle when she let it fall to the floor. "Oh shit… I've killed him," Stephanie whispered while she looked at the large puddle of blood pooling around his head. She looked around the dilapidated shack, expecting to see a hoard of witnesses. She seized her shawl from the foot of the bed, covered her exposure, and ran out the door.

With the first breath of freedom, her steps faltered. "You should find someone to help him," she said to herself. She stopped and turned around, not sure what to do until that little voice of self-preservation spoke up inside her head. "Like hell you should, he kidnapped you and was going to rape you. Take a look around, woman! Does this look like 9-1-1 territory?" The little voice won out and she started running along the dirt path that served as a road. Her knees began to shake and bile burned in her throat. She had no choice but to stop.

"Now is not the time to argue, especially with yourself. Think!" Taking several slow, deep breaths calmed both her legs and stomach. "The first town I come to, I'll make sure someone comes back to help him." Maybe it wasn't much of a plan, but it was enough to calm the guilt attack that was rising inside her.

oOoOo

Leon heard the sound of running water when he returned to the room. He was balancing four cups of coffee and a small plate of fruit on a tray. Tank was sitting slumped in the chair and Lopez was staring out the window. He set the tray down on the coffee table, picked up a cup of coffee, and walked over to nudge Lopez in the back. The detective turned and accepted the hot brew.

"One of us will have to keep a constant eye on him when we find Miguel," Tank said and jerked his thumb in the direction of the bathroom. "And if the fool has laid a hand on Bombshell, it may take all three of us to keep him from killing the man."

"I know my brother can be intense when it comes to his beliefs, but this is a side of him I've haven't seen since Julie was born." Leon spooned four scoops of sugar into his cup of coffee.

"Have you ever been in love, Leon?" Tank asked. Leon raised a solitary eyebrow in answer. "Neither have I, at least not the way Ric loves Stephanie. The way he looks at her… man, it almost makes you hurt." Tank popped a piece of mango into his mouth.

"Well, maybe they'll provide momma with another grandchild soon. Sure would take the pressure off you…" Leon grinned as he blew into the hot coffee.

"Me? I'm not a real part of your crazy family. Not my fault your momma likes me better than you. Besides, what the hell's wrong with you? Your dick not working?" Tank reached for his own cup of coffee.

"My dick's working fine, very fine as a matter of fact." Leon smiled and took a sip of coffee. "I'm just not ready."

"Ready for what?" Ranger was standing in the bathroom doorway, his hair wet and dressed all in black. His disguise was gone.

"Marriage and the pitter patter of little feet," Leon shuddered.

Ranger ignored the subject. "Have you heard any more from Abrahan?"

"No," Tank said. "Sit down and drink your coffee and eat some fruit."

Ranger lifted the coffee to his lips and took a sip, savoring its strong taste. Tank lifted the plate of fruit and offered it to him. Ranger shook his head no.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" Ranger didn't answer. "Shit, Ric! You need to eat something. After all, how is Batman supposed to save Batbabe on an empty stomach?"

Leon snorted with laughter and coffee blew out his nose. "Batbabe!?!?!"

"Damn, boy, straighten up!" Tank yelled and reached for a napkin.

"Sorry," Leon said with a laugh. "But it was your fault."

Tank glared at him and Leon's good humor disappeared.

Lopez cleared his throat and all eyes flicked in his direction. "I have a question."

Ranger lifted an eyebrow, giving him permission to continue.

"Would someone please explain to me why Miguel seems to have such a hard-on for Stephanie?" The minute the phrase hard-on left Lopez's mouth, the other three men went rigid. Shit, that was the wrong thing to say! "Sorry, I just mean he didn't even know about her until now. Why would he be so foolish to take her out from under his father's nose?"

No one spoke. Ranger turned away from Lopez and resumed loading up his pockets with the items necessary for a rescue. His hands stilled and he turned back to face Lopez.

"Maria."

A collective 'oh shit' came from Tank and Leon.

"And who is Maria?" Lopez asked.

Ranger paused and took a deep breath. "Short version. After my father was killed, my mother packed up all of her children and fled Cuba with another family by the name of Fernandez. Maria was my age and their only child. She was young and beautiful and made the mistake of becoming engaged to Miguel." Ranger stopped and flexed his hands. "Miguel was obsessed with her. When she tried to break off the engagement he raped and tortured her. Another man by the name of Ricardo Alvarez helped her escape from Miguel's clutches. They fell in love. She didn't want to leave him when her parents told her they were leaving Cuba. I promised her that somehow I would find a way to smuggle the man she loved into the States if she'd just go with her parents."

Ranger took a gulp of his coffee and made a face at the cold swill.

"It took me a year to find a way, but I kept my promise to her. Once Alvarez was safe in Miami, they planned to be married. She was Catholic and wanted to be married in the church, so he pretended to be me and the priest married them. Two days later, her parents were killed in an automobile accident. She begged me to arrange it so that she was also reported as one of the casualties of the accident so that she and Alvarez could disappear." Ranger washed his hands over his face. "I went along and used some of my father's old contacts to establish new identities for her and her husband. Last time I checked, she and Alvarez are happy, raising their three children in Brazil. Miguel has hated me ever since. End of story."

The room fell silent until Abrahan burst through the door. "Sorry, did I interrupt something?"

Tank popped another piece of mango into his mouth. "We just filled Lopez in on Maria."

"Oh, shit," Abrahan said and shut the door.

Ranger checked the safety on his gun before slipping it inside the back of his waistband.

"Gentlemen, it's time to rescue my wife."


	19. Chapter 19

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Stephanie tried to run, but her legs were stiff from being tied together all night. She grabbed a hold of the door handle to Miguel's car and yanked it open. No keys, shit. She looked back at the shack and shuddered, there was no way she was going to go back inside there, not even to get the keys. Besides, someone might recognize his car or the police could stop her, then she'd be in even more trouble. No license, no papers, no Spanish. Better to take her chances on foot.

She wasn't sure how long it had taken Miguel to drive here from the hotel yesterday, but she was guessing less than 30 minutes. There was no telling how long it was going to take her to walk back, especially since her legs still weren't all that coordinated yet. Oh, who was she kidding, she didn't even know which way to turn once she reached the main road. She was pretty sure that Miguel had turned right onto the pathway to hell, but it could have been left. She sighed and hurried her unsteady steps down the rutted lane. It wasn't long before she began to feel uncomfortable with the sun shining down on the shawl she had wrapped around her shoulders. She became aware of how thirsty she was and how long it had been since she'd eaten last. The bruises on her wrists and ankles left by the rope were almost purple. Tears pricked at her eyes.

"Stop it! This is not the time for a pity party! Just be glad you're no longer being held captive!" she chided herself and gave one corner of the shawl a dramatic fling over the opposite shoulder and lifted her head in determination.

Her spirits lifted when she saw that she had almost reached the end of the dirt turnoff, but her excitement turned to panic when she heard the sound of an approaching engine. A burst of adrenaline raced through her body and she whirled around, half expecting to see Miguel behind the wheel of his car, but the lane was empty. She turned back around and fell to her knees when her foot slipped into a hole. "Damn it!"

She struggled to get back on her feet and started searching for a place to hide. She took off at a run for a grove of trees that ran parallel to the road, hoping that she'd make it before the approaching car got close enough for someone to see her.

By the time she reached the edge of the trees, her heart was pounding and her chest was heaving. She risked a quick glance behind her and froze as Big Blue pulled into view. "Now this nightmare is complete," she muttered.

She was so distracted by the sight of the Buick that she didn't realize she wasn't deep enough in the trees to be completely hidden until one of the passengers turned and looked directly at her. Fear shocked her back into motion and she bolted deeper into the trees. She didn't know who the man was, but he sure looked like a Manoso, and right now it was safer to avoid any and all Manosos, unless it happened to be the one she was married to.

oOoOo

Abrahan eased his car to the side of the road and watched when Ricardo pulled the big blue monstrosity up behind him.

"Why are we stopping here?" Lopez asked. He knew the answer to his question, but he was interested in hearing the answer Abrahan would have for him.

"The turnoff is just ahead, we'll hang back and watch the entrance while they go in and run the search."

Lopez had to smile. The man was good; he'd looked him straight in the eye and lied to him. "Right." He waited a minute to see if anything else would be offered in the way of an excuse. Nothing else was offered. "You sure it has nothing to do with me being a cop and that these guys might operate in the gray area sometimes?"

Abrahan smiled and turned to look at his passenger. The man was a surprise. Ricardo had signaled for him to keep Lopez close so that he wouldn't interfere with what the other three men might have to do to rescue Stephanie. "There is no gray area in matters like this in Cuba, there is only the outcome of living or dying." A rap on the window drew Abrahan's attention in the other direction. He rolled the window down and Ranger leaned over.

"You two stay here in case there's trouble." Abrahan nodded and rolled the window halfway up.

Lopez watched as the huge blue car eased out and rolled into the turnoff and out of sight. Looks like the fun was going to begin.

oOoOo

"Stop the car!" Leon yelled.

Ranger slammed on the brakes and threw the car in park while he scanned the surrounding area. "What?"

"A woman just ran into the trees," Leon called back over his shoulder and ran from the car.

"Go with him. I'll go ahead and check thinks out," Ranger told Tank without taking his eyes off his brother.

"Be careful," Tank said before he opened the car door and took off after Leon.

Ranger watched the two men disappear into the trees and then put the car back in gear and crept forward, careful to dodge the potholes. He stopped the car a few yards from the building and studied the situation. The front door was open and there was no sounds coming from inside. He'd come across this scenario several times in his military career and his instincts told him there was someone inside. What he didn't know was if they were waiting to ambush him or if someone was alive or dead. The last option was the one that scared him. He pulled his gun from his waistband and flipped off the safety. There was only one way to find out.

Ranger stepped from the car and took a second look around before he eased the heavy car door closed and hurried to the front of the shack. He plastered his back to one side of the doorframe and listened: nothing but silence. He drew in a deep breath, whirled around in a crouching position and then rolled through the doorway with his gun drawn. He saw a man lying face down on the floor and released the breath he'd been holding. Anger replaced his worry when he saw the crumpled bed, the sections of rope and what he'd bet was a tattered strip of material that had been torn from a woman's blouse. He made quick work of securing the only other room in the small shack, knelt beside Miguel and did a quick exam of his cousin's injuries.

"Proud of you, Babe," Ranger whispered and the corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile as he stood.

The gashes to the side of Miguel's head were deep and his pulse was weak and irregular. "Don't think you're gonna make it through this one, cousin." Ranger stood and then made a quick jump and propelled his knee straight down onto the back of Miguel's neck. The movement was fast, accurate and deadly. "May you rot in Hell."

He wasted no time in grieving over his actions; instead he ran out of the shack and headed straight for the trees… and Stephanie.

Tank was leaning up against a tree, snickering at the sight in front of him when Ranger appeared on the other side of him.

"You're just going to stand here?" Ranger asked.

"Why not? She's winning and I didn't hear any gunshots from your direction. Figured you had things under control, am I right?" Tank settled a questioning look on his friend. Ranger answered with the briefest of nods and turned his attention back to the scene in front of him.

Leon had managed to get his arms around Stephanie from behind but had only restrained one of her arms. She was shoving her elbow into his ribs for all she was worth and when he made the mistake of lifting her off the ground, she started kicking him in the shins and was aiming higher with each kick.

"Any clean up necessary?"

Ranger shook his head. "No, I want my uncle to understand the full message, but it would be a good idea if we hauled ass back to the hotel."

Tank grunted in agreement.

The rush of adrenaline Stephanie was riding from her encounter with Miguel was starting to wane.

"Babe?"

The second his voice registered with her, she stopped beating on Leon. "Ranger?"

Ranger closed the distance between them and pulled her out of his brother's hold and held her close.

"I can't believe it's really you!" Stephanie eagerly sought out his mouth and covered it with hers. "I thought I'd lost you!" Her hands traveled over his face until her fingers lingered over his lips. "I love you." She traced her fingertips around his mouth and couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

Their kiss was long and passionate and would have continued longer if Tank hadn't cleared his throat.

Ranger broke the kiss and pulled her in for another hug while he ran his hands up and down her back. "You scared the shit out me," his voice was soft and choked with emotion.

"Yeah, well I had the shit scared out of me by the other side of your family." Stephanie felt the weight of the past two days taking over. "Speaking of which, it seems you have a lot of explaining to do!" She shoved back against the hard muscles of his chest. "And you can start with Maria!"

"I can answer your questions now or we can go back to the hotel and you can take a shower, eat something and then we talk after you've had some rest. Your choice." Ranger couldn't help himself; he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, and savored the feeling of her safe in his arms.

"You promise?" Stephanie's body sagged in the safety of his arms.

"I promise." Ranger flipped the car keys in Tanks direction and then lifted her in his arms. "Let's move it, boys. Call Abrahan and let him know we have her and that we're coming out."

Tank caught the keys in mid air. "There is no way in hell I'm driving that mobile nightmare."

Leon limped alongside of him. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice. I have a feeling my brother's going to have his hands full in the back seat and his lovely wife broke my leg in twelve places and cracked at least two ribs!"

Tank started laughing. "Told you she was one of a kind."

Stephanie tensed when she caught sight of the shack when they left the cover of the trees. "Ohmigod! Ranger, I hit Miguel really hard, we should check on him and get him some medical help."

"I've already taken care of him." Ranger stepped aside so Tank could open the back door of the car.

"Did I…" Stephanie couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"No, you didn't." Ranger hoped she wouldn't ask the next question; time for a distraction. "Speaking of explanations, care to explain why someone else is calling you Babe?"

"Enrique!" Stephanie screamed. "That bastard who came with your uncle to the hotel hurt him!" Tears blurred her vision.

"He's fine, Babe. He's safe and waiting to see you again."

She dropped her head on Ranger's shoulder in relief. "What about Manuel?"

"He's safe, too." He slid across the back seat of the car with her still in his arms. "Why don't you just relax?" He shifted so his back was braced against one corner of the long seat and stretched his legs out. Stephanie curled up in his lap and rested her head on his chest and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

oOoOo

Stephanie felt her body shifting and she jerked away. "Get away!"

"Babe, it's okay, we're back at the hotel." Ranger stroked his fingers down her jaw line, hoping to calm her."

"Oh, sorry." She tried to hide the blush by covering her cheeks.

"Come on, let's get you inside." Ranger shifted her off his lap and opened the door.

She scooched her butt across the seat and reached for Ranger's hand and then froze when she saw a familiar man coming out of the hotel's entrance. She tugged on his hand and wiggled her finger for him to come closer. "There's something I need to do, get back in the car." She reached over the seat and motioned for Tank and Leon to stay in the car, too.

Ranger took one look at her face and angled his body back inside the car. "What's going on?"

She pointed at a man dressed in a dark uniform who was standing at the corner talking on his cell phone. "I have something to say to him and all of you have to promise to let me handle this by myself."

"No," all three men answered together.

"I'd appreciate the backup, but only if things go south. Please, it's important." She pleaded and then smiled when Ranger sighed and nodded. "Thank you," she said and gave him quick kiss before she opened the back door on the opposite side from where the man was standing.

Stephanie went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Thank goodness Big Blue's cousin had all the usual equipment. She selected the item she was looking for and closed the trunk. She flashed another smile at the guys in the car; all three wore the same stern expression on their faces.

She pulled the shawl around her shoulders and held it together in the front, then pulled in a deep breath of courage. She kept her eyes lowered as she approached the man, but when she was directly in front of him she let the shawl drop open and smiled when he gawked at her exposure. Without a second thought, she swung the tire iron she had been hiding in her skirt straight up between his legs. He grabbed his balls and his eyes rolled back in his head. "Maybe that will teach you to keep your hands to yourself and not to hit children." The bastard who had groped her that night in the back of the wagon and then had hurt Enrique dropped to his knees without a sound.

Stephanie gathered the shawl back around her shoulders and walked away, leaving the bastard lying on the sidewalk. She could hear Tank's booming laugh even before she reached the car.

"Short conversation, Babe." Ranger smiled a full smile at her.

Stephanie smiled and shrugged her shoulders then reached for his hand. "I'd like I'd like that shower now."


	20. Chapter 20

_A/N:_ _Since this is the end of Dangerous Mergers, I'd like to take this moment to thank those who helped me when the going got tough: Sue, Lisa, Skye and most of all May. The biggest thanks, however, goes to all of you - the readers. Thank you very much for reading and for all the lovely reviews and private messages.  
__Marilyn_

**DANGEROUS MERGERS**

**Chapter 20**

Stephanie struggled to breathe while she watched every muscle of Ranger's body move in absolute symmetry when he stripped off his clothes. Every angle reflected his perfection and one angle in particular reflected his desire. She failed to quell the heavy shiver that ran through her body, even when she closed her eyes and felt tears of love build behind her lowered lashes.

"Babe?" Strong hands touched her face with such a measure of tenderness that her tears broke free over the lower rims of her eyes as the last bastion of her control.

How could she explain the explosion of love she was experiencing inside? She fell back on the bed and tried to sort her thoughts. He'd expect an answer and she had none that made sense.

The tufted surface of the mattress shifted as he crawled closer. "Talk to me, Babe."

Think, Stephanie, think. You love him, so find the words.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." He brushed a kiss on her forehead.

"…and I'm scared."

She felt him go still. Damn, she'd chosen the wrong words. Now what? She tried to open her eyes, but couldn't find the courage.

"I love you so much it frightens me." She felt the rough calluses on his fingers that caressed and lifted her chin.

"Open your eyes, Babe, I need to see your eyes and I want you to see mine." He played the pad of his thumb back and forth over her lower lip. "Please, Stephanie."

Her eyelids fluttered open, her vision swimming with tears. Dark brown eyes full of love were staring back at her. "I was so afraid I'd lost you." Her words sounded worried and small.

"But you didn't." Ranger slowly undid the belt of her robe and opened it on one side, exposing one of her breasts.

"I was so afraid we'd never find each other again."

"But we did." He lowered his head and kissed the soft peak of her nipple.

"I'm so afraid that you'll change your mind about loving me…" Stephanie couldn't stop the rush of tears and turned her head away when he raised his eyes to gaze at her.

"Never," Ranger whispered and turned her head back to face him. "There is nothing life can throw at us that would cause me to stop loving you. I'm yours forever."

The love Stephanie saw coming from Ranger's eyes brought her tears to a stop and she reached up to touch his face. "And I'm yours forever."

Ranger slipped his hand underneath the other side of her robe and started to stroke her breast. "Any more fears we need to discuss?"

"Umm… no," Stephanie was finding it hard to concentrate with Ranger touching her.

"You sure?" Ranger braced himself above her, allowing his erection to play at her entrance.

"Maybe one," Stephanie's hips started to match Ranger's little teasing movements. "I'm just worried that one lifetime won't be enough for us."

The smile that erupted on Ranger's face was twice his normal smile. "Then we need to make sure we don't waste any time." With those words, he slipped inside her and drove out any remaining doubts and fears, over and over again – all night long.

oOoOo

Will walked up to the eclectic group of five who were waiting in the small airport. Tank, Leon and Lopez radiated authority while Enrique and his father, Emmanuel, radiated excitement and hope. "Ric and Stephanie just arrived," he said to Leon. "Did you get everything arranged?"

Leon flashed a shit-eating grin in Will's direction. "Oh yes… it's all arranged."

Tank's eyes moved from one man to the other. "Ah shit. Just do me a favor, don't tell me what you two have _arranged_, okay?"

"It's just a little wedding present," Will managed to say with a straight face. "After the honeymoon they had, we figured they deserved something special."

Tank shook his head and waved his hands. "I don't want to know."

"Okay, but we signed your name on the card." Leon had trouble getting the words out before he doubled over with laughter.

"Shit," Tank grumbled.

"What's the matter?" Stephanie asked when she and Ranger joined them.

"Oh, umm, nothing, Bombshell. You ready?" Tank stammered.

"Just need to visit the ladies room before we leave." She gave them a quick wave and started off in the direction Will was pointing.

"You're a lucky man, my friend." Will clapped Ranger on the shoulder making sure that he had his friend's full attention. "I just hope you're up to the challenge. Oh, by the way, I just received a call from one of my contacts. Seems that your uncle had a fatal car accident. Funny, no one knows what caused it." Will's face broke into a huge smile when he saw the sight over Ranger's shoulder.

"What the hell?" Tank barked and then started laughing.

Leon and Lopez were almost rolling on the floor with laughter.

Ranger turned and felt his mouth drop open. Stephanie was wearing a snorkel mask, water wings around her upper arms and a parachute strapped to her back. The long pair of flippers she wore on her feet made slapping sounds with each step.

"All ready," she said as she stood in front of him.

"You don't trust me, Babe?" Ranger couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, I trust you, just not when we're flying, especially over water." Stephanie gave him a teasing smile, opening her eyes wide behind the mask.

"I thought I was getting off too easy when you didn't bring that little matter up earlier." Ranger pulled her close and lifted the mask from her face. "Babe, you never disappoint."

"Okay, plane's waiting," Will said and pulled Stephanie from Ranger's arms. "Stephanie Manoso, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met, just too bad Ric found you first." Will bent her backwards over his arm and planted a kiss square on her mouth. When he raised her back up, he wriggled his eyebrows at the frown on Ranger's face. "Just kissing the bride, my friend."

Ranger reached out and separated Will from Stephanie. "Mine."

Will kept laughing when the small group walked out into the late night toward the plane, Stephanie's flippers slapping all the way.

oOoOo

Purple, pink and blue: the colors of predawn seeped through the small window of the airplane. The colors reflected in Enrique's dark eyes that were wide with wonderment. He hadn't moved from Stephanie's lap throughout the entire flight.

Ranger looked down at Stephanie's sleeping face that rested on his shoulder. The first rays of sunshine highlighted the uncontrollable curls splayed around her shoulders. He picked one of her curls up and began winding it around his finger. Will was right, she was the most amazing woman and he thanked the heavens for the day their paths had crossed in that diner.

"Be careful, Babe doesn't wake up in a good mood," Enrique said without turning his full gaze from the window.

Ranger chuckled at the child using his nickname and that the kid seemed to have ESP. "I'll remember that, thank you."

For the first time, Enrique turned away from the window and met Ranger's eyes full on. "I want to thank you so much for making my mother's dream of me living in America come true. I will make her and you very proud."

Ranger found himself struggling with the emotions the child's words raised in him. He had to clear his throat before he could answer. "You're welcome."

Stephanie stirred and opened her eyes. "Hi," she said to both sets of dark brown eyes.

"Look," Ranger said and pointed out the window.

"America," the child's whisper was almost too soft to be heard. He crossed himself and then bowed his head in prayer.

Stephanie could feel the light tremors traveling through his small lean body. Tears filled her eyes while she watched him pray and realized she was witnessing one of the purest forms of faith she had ever seen in her life. She bowed her head to join him.

Ranger's eyes never wavered from Stephanie's face, a soft smile playing on his mouth.

"I see what you meant about the way Ric looks at her," Leon said to Tank. "Damn, the only other time I've seen him with that look on his face was the day his daughter was born."

"Told you," Tank replied. "Scared the shit out of him when he realized how much he loved her."

"Ric? Scared?" Leon said in surprise.

Tank smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah… _the fearless Ricardo Manoso_… scared shitless. He kept using the excuse that his life was too dangerous. Said their lives were too different," Tank laughed. "For over two years he tried to deny how he felt."

"Damn, two years?" Leon asked disbelieving. Tank nodded. Silence settled over them, each man hoping that they too would someday find someone to love in the same way.

oOoOo

Enrique sat quietly until the doors to the plane opened; he grabbed Stephanie's hand and clutched it tight with his small one. "I cannot believe I am in America."

"It's true!" Stephanie smiled and reached over to hold Ranger's hand. The man truly was Batman. Somehow, he had arranged safe passage for Enrique and his father. He had offered to relocate Manuel and his wife, Emilia, but they had declined, saying they were too old to change their ways. She knew Ranger had secretly provided them with enough money to make them comfortable for the rest of their lives. She tugged on his hand to get his attention and mouthed 'I love you'. He returned with a silent 'I love you' and a whisper of a kiss on the top of her head.

"Let's go!" Ranger stood and held out his hand for Enrique. "Your father's waiting for you at the exit."

Enrique stood and turned to Stephanie. "I told you I would see that you got home safe."

Tears rushed to Stephanie's eyes. "Yes, you did. Thank you, my little knight in shining armor." She pulled him to her in a hug and kissed him before giving him a light shove in the direction of his father.

"We'll see him tomorrow, Babe." Ranger whispered and handed her a tissue.

How did he do that? Stephanie wondered and accepted the tissue to dry her tears and blow her nose.

"Ready?" Ranger asked and held out his hand for her.

"Ready," Stephanie answered and placed her hand in his.

oOoOo

Ranger woke her with a gentle shake when Leon pulled the SUV into the Rangeman garage. "Babe, we're here."

"Umm," was all she could manage.

"Ric, I think it's the custom for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold," Leon chuckled when he held the door of the elevator open.

"Come on Ric, you know what Babe's like when you wake her up," Tank imitated Enrique's voice. "Just carry her up."

Ranger gave Tank a snarled look and lifted Stephanie into his arms, placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and stepped inside the waiting elevator. All three men rode up to the seventh floor in silence. When the doors slid open Ranger blocked them from sliding shut and turned to speak to his brother and his friend.

"I'll see you two in the morning."

"What? You're not going to invite us up for a coffee?" Leon threw his hand up to his forehead in mock surprise.

Ranger scoffed at him. "I didn't wait two years just to be a one night stand husband." He stepped back and the doors closed.

Leon punched the button for the first floor. "I got a feeling the walls are gonna shake."

"You are a real pain, man," Tank said as the doors opened up. "Just promise me that if I ever get married, you won't be around after the wedding."

"Then I suggest you pick somewhere other than Cuba for your honeymoon." Leon clapped his hand on Tank's shoulder.

oOoOo

Stephanie found a simple little sundress lying on the bed when she came out of the shower. A small note on top read "I Love You". The man never failed to amaze her. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she needed to hurry. Everyone was going to meet at Elena's Little Restaurant for breakfast and Ranger was already downstairs in the garage waiting for her. They were to start their road trip up the coast back to Trenton after the meal, stopping along the way to sightsee and honeymoon. Lots and lots of honeymoon…

She hurried into the dress, checked her makeup and hair and headed for the elevator. When the elevator doors opened to the garage, she was surprised to find it empty of all vehicles and Ranger shaking his head and muttering in Spanish.

"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked him and placed her hand on his arm.

"I'm going to kill him!" Ranger said through clenched teeth.

"Who?" Stephanie looked around.

"Leon." Ranger reached for her hand and pulled her through the empty garage. Funny, it had been full of black SUVs last night.

The bright sunshine caused her to squint. After her eyes adjusted to the glare, her mouth fell open when she saw what was parked at the curb.

"Oh my god…" was all she could say before she started to laugh.

A shiny black Humvee was waiting for them. A large 'Just Married' sign was scribbled in white letters across the back window. Tin cans and old shoes were tied to the bumper; 'Batman loves Batbabe' was written in white letters down the passenger side. Heaven only knew what might be written on the other side.

Stephanie opened the door and found a note attached to the steering wheel.

_Thought this would be the safest way to transport your new wife home._

_Will, Leon and Tank._

"Relax, Ranger," Stephanie said after she stopped laughing. "At least we'll be together. No dangerous relatives, no dangerous foreign countries, no dangerous danger." She stepped close to him. "Just you and me. What could be safer?"

THE END


End file.
